Authorities say the manhunt tied to a Union County double homicide ended after troopers forced a stop and the suspect died from a self-inflicted wound.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Interstate 75 near Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park was closed in both directions Tuesday evening as Alachua County deputies and Florida troopers pursued an armed suspect believed to be linked to a Union County double homicide, authorities said. The highway reopened later that night after the chase ended south of Micanopy.
Officials said the closure followed a multi-county search that began after two women were shot and killed in Union County earlier Tuesday. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office announced the shutdown as “an active and ongoing incident” and described the person at large as “armed and dangerous.” Florida Highway Patrol troopers assisted with traffic control and the stop itself. The situation drew heavy law enforcement to the stretch of I-75 between Micanopy and Gainesville, where drivers reported standstill traffic and detours onto nearby county roads. The case has shifted from an urgent manhunt to parallel criminal and death investigations managed by local agencies.
Deputies began closing I-75 at about 5:45 p.m., steering motorists off at Williston Road and Micanopy while units tracked the suspect vehicle across Paynes Prairie. Law enforcement used their patrol cars to block on-ramps and form rolling roadblocks as aviation units circled overhead, according to public statements. The Sheriff’s Office posted repeated updates warning of delays and asking drivers to avoid the area. “This is an active incident,” the agency said, emphasizing that the priority was to safely contain the suspect. The pursuit concluded after troopers executed a Precision Immobilization Technique, or PIT maneuver, to force the vehicle to a stop. The suspect was later found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
Investigators from Union County traveled to coordinate with Alachua County deputies once the stop occurred. Florida Highway Patrol managed the interstate closure points and staged wreckers to clear disabled vehicles. Main Street Daily News reported the closure spanned from Micanopy to Gainesville, a stretch that includes the elevated causeway across the prairie. A regional outlet, 352 Today, said the shutdown began around the dinner hour and that the pursuit tied back to a violent incident in Union County earlier in the day. Officials did not immediately release the suspect’s name, citing ongoing notifications and evidence collection. The Sheriff’s Office said details about the firearm and the number of rounds discharged on the interstate remained under review late Tuesday.
The Paynes Prairie corridor of I-75 is a critical north–south route for commuters and freight traffic across North Central Florida. When closures occur there, backups can quickly stretch for miles because alternate routes are limited by the wetlands and state park boundaries. Tuesday’s shutdown echoed earlier major incidents that temporarily closed the same segment for crashes and brush fire smoke. Unlike those events, this closure was a deliberate law-enforcement action to isolate a suspect vehicle and minimize risk to passing drivers. That required halting both directions to keep troopers and deputies clear of live traffic while they maneuvered for the forced stop.
After the PIT maneuver and medical assessment, crime scene units marked shell casings, photographed the scene lights, and documented vehicle positions along the shoulder and median. Wreckers cleared the suspect’s car and patrol units. The Sheriff’s Office announced that “all lanes are back open” later Tuesday night, and traffic gradually returned to normal speed through the prairie. Union County investigators continued interviewing witnesses and collecting residential surveillance video connected to the initial shootings. Officials said an autopsy for the suspect would be scheduled, and additional information would be released when next of kin were notified and a formal case timeline was set.
Drivers who were diverted at Micanopy described brake lights stretching across the prairie causeway and a steady line of tractor-trailers idling on the southbound shoulder. One Gainesville-area commuter said she exited at Williston Road and needed nearly an hour to reach U.S. 441. “It was eerie how quiet it got on the overpass once the troopers blocked it,” she said. A tow company operator who arrived after the stop said responders worked under floodlights as investigators used measuring wheels along the right lane. Residents in Micanopy reported helicopters circling during the dinner hour and sirens moving south along the interstate.
As of late Tuesday, authorities said the interstate was fully reopened and no motorists were reported injured in the pursuit or stop. The Union County Sheriff’s Office is leading the homicide investigation involving the two women, with assistance from state and neighboring county agencies. The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office said it would release further updates once investigators complete initial interviews and review patrol car videos.
Author note: Last updated February 4, 2026.