Florida man pushed his wife into I-75 traffic after beating her, FHP says

The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for a man who troopers say tried to kill his wife on I-75 Thursday.

The incident happened around 9:30 a.m. on the southbound lanes of the highway in Pasco County near Tampa.

Joey Edward Morgan, 45, is accused of pulling his wife by the hair out of the driver’s side of a Dodge Ram pickup, headbutting her and punching her several times before pushing her into the highway in the path of an oncoming tractor trailer truck, according to an FHP press release.

FHP Sgt. Steve Gaskins said the truck driver had “to take evasive action” to avoid hitting the woman.

“Throughout the whole event, Morgan repeatedly advised the victim that he was going to kill her before fleeing into the wooded area adjacent to the interstate upon observing troopers responding to the incident,” Gaskins said in a statement.

Dispatchers received several 911 calls from passing drivers saying a man was beating a woman on the side of the highway, Gaskins said.

A witness who was a passenger in the pickup said the violence started when the tire of the vehicle blew out, which angered Morgan, according to the press release.

He grabbed the wheel and pulled it to the right, almost causing his wife to lose control of the pickup, as well as the utility trailer it was towing.

The wife, who was not named in the release, was able to pull over to the shoulder of the road. That is when Morgan, who was riding in the passenger seat, got out and began battering the woman, Gaskins said.

Troopers and Pasco County sheriff’s deputies searched the woods, but could not find Morgan, who lives in Summerville.

Troopers obtained a warrant for Morgan’s arrest on an attempted murder charge.

Police ask anyone with information about the case to call (813) 558-1800 or text *FHP.