Palm Bay, FL – May 4, 2025 — A Charlotte, North Carolina man remains behind bars in Brevard County following a tragic crash that claimed the lives of two highway surveyors on Friday morning. Authorities say 36-year-old Hassan Abdirahman Sheikh Ali was behind the wheel of a semi-tractor trailer involved in a deadly hit-and-run on Interstate 95 near Palm Bay, and he is now facing serious felony charges.
The incident occurred early on the morning of May 2, along a stretch of I-95 near mile marker 172 in Palm Bay. According to a preliminary report from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Ali was operating a 2021 Freightliner semi-tractor trailer when he collided with a RAM 1500 pickup truck parked on the roadside and subsequently struck two surveyors who were working in the area. The force of the impact was fatal for both workers.
The surveyors, identified only by their ages—22 and 41—were from Enterprise and Deltona, Florida, respectively. They were pronounced dead at the scene. A third individual, a 21-year-old man also from Deltona who had been sitting inside the RAM 1500 at the time of the crash, escaped injury.
Instead of stopping to render aid, as required by Florida law, Ali reportedly fled the scene. The case quickly escalated into a manhunt, with troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol working swiftly to locate the driver responsible. Later that same day, Ali was apprehended by law enforcement in Palm Beach County, approximately 130 miles south of the crash site, near mile marker 45.
He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Brevard County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He faces two felony counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving death, particularly egregious under Florida statutes when the victims are deemed “vulnerable road users”—a designation that includes roadside workers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
The tragic loss of the two surveyors has prompted renewed conversations about roadside safety and the obligations of commercial drivers to adhere to stringent safety protocols. Surveyors often work in high-risk environments with little protection from passing vehicles, making driver vigilance critical in work zones.
As of now, investigators have not publicly released details regarding the possible cause of the crash, whether Ali was impaired, distracted, or otherwise negligent at the time of the incident. Those answers may emerge as the case proceeds through the court system.
Ali’s arraignment is scheduled for May 27. If convicted on both felony counts, he could face significant prison time.
Meanwhile, the families of the victims are left to mourn the sudden and senseless loss of their loved ones. No public statements have been made by the victims’ families or legal representatives for Ali at this time.
The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing its investigation and urges any witnesses or individuals with relevant information to come forward.
