‘No problem,’ man says during submerged semi accident on I-75

COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. – A driver said he narrowly escaped alligators after his semi-truck reared off the road on Interstate-75 on Monday.

Fernando Perez, 52 of Miami, said his front left tire blew out, careening his truck across the median and lanes of oncoming westbound traffic, but he had the situation under control. He was able to avoid hitting other cars, then crashed into a fence and landed in a canal.

“I was very calm,” Perez said. “I wait for water coming in. I look outside the truck and see the level of the water and I say ‘No problem.'”

As water began to engulf his truck, Perez said he waited to make his exit but not before reaching for his phone and cigarettes.

“I have this gap — seven or eight inches — so I can breathe. Looking for my cigarettes and my phone and then I get out,” Perez said.

Before he could swim out of the canal, Perez said he saw and heard alligators in the murky water. He thanks a man named Geno for helping him escape.

“Geno I appreciate what you did for me, man. You went into the water. Nobody did it and I appreciate it,” Perez said. “You saved my life.”

One lane was still blocked hours after Perez’ 52-foot truck became submerged in water. Only the vehicle’s lights and hood were visible after the accident and the $200,000 truck was totaled.

Crew members of Downtown Towing said removing the semi-truck would prove to be a huge task. They spent hours trying to lift the truck from the canal waters.

Meanwhile, Perez survived the crash without injury. Even his phone was unharmed after a recent waterproof phone case purchase.