Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

August 22, 2025

News: Vehicle crashes into bank on U.S. 19 in New Port Richey

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL – New Port Richey police and fire crews were dispatched to a car accident at a local bank on Monday morning, Tampa Bay 28 reports.

The incident took place in the area of U.S. 19 and Marine Parkway, where an SUV crashed into a Chase Bank at about 10:52 a.m. According to the initial investigation, the driver of the vehicle sped over the curb accidentally and then collided with the building.

No injuries were reported for the occupants of the vehicle or those who were in the bank at the time. The bank was closed down following the crash.

August 21, 2025

News: Wrong-way collision on State Road 471 in Sumter County kills 1, injures 4

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol was dispatched to a deadly two-vehicle collision in Sumter County last week.

According to a WKMG report, the incident took place Friday, Aug. 15 on State Road 471 near County Road 788.

The crash involved a Mercedes-Benz SUV and a Nissan Titan that was towing an enclosed utility trailer. The FHP’s initial investigation indicates that the driver of the Mercedes was traveling south in the northbound lane for an unknown reason at about 1:20 a.m., and collided with the northbound Nissan nearly head-on.

August 20, 2025

News: Suspect arrested in rear-end collision in Pasco County that killed 8-month-old boy

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – A child was killed in a collision in Pasco County involving a driver who was allegedly impaired at the time, reports WTSP.

The fatal crash occurred Saturday morning on U.S. 19 near Flora Avenue in Holiday. The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado was heading south at about 1:36 a.m. when he overtook an Audi sedan that had slowed or stopped for other traffic. The Chevrolet driver did not slow down or stop, and crashed into the back of the Audi.

An eight-month boy in the Audi, the driver’s son, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital. The infant was riding in a rear car seat at the time of the accident.

August 19, 2025

News: Woman facing DUI charge following fatal wreck on SR 35 in Marion County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A car accident involving an alleged drunk in Marion County killed a passenger in the vehicle, reports WKMG.

The Florida Highway Patrol was dispatched to the fatal wreck early Saturday morning along State Road 35 near SE 102 Place Road in Belleview. The FHP’s preliminary investigation indicated that the driver of a sedan failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway while heading south on S.R. 35 at about 2:30 a.m.

The car went off the road and onto the grass shoulder before crashing into a wooden fence and a large tree.

August 18, 2025

News: Woman struck, killed after stopping to check on injured opossum in Brooksville

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

BROOKSVILLE, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal pedestrian crash that occurred last week in Hernando County, reports WTSP.

The incident happened on the night of Aug. 10 on Hexam Road near Eskimo Curfew Road in Brooksville. According to the FHP, a Spring Hill couple was traveling on the road in a Toyota Camry shortly before 10 p.m. when the driver, a 31-year-old man, stopped the car so they could check on an injured opossum.

His wife, age 27, got out of the car to assist the animal when she was struck by a Chrysler 300. The woman was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital. Her identity was not immediately released. The opossum also died.

August 15, 2025

News: Accident involving car, several semi-trucks blocks northbound lanes on Interstate 75

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – A multi-vehicle accident in Ocala on Wednesday afternoon sent two people to the hospital and disrupted traffic along Interstate 75.

According to Ocala Fire Rescue, crews responded to the scene on I-75 just north of mile marker 352 at 3:49 p.m. A semi-truck carrying corn was reportedly heading south and experienced a tire failure, causing the vehicle to veer into oncoming traffic.

Emergency crews arrived to find the semi had overturned and come to rest on top of a Honda Civic that was traveling north. Three other semi-trucks were involved in the wreck, with one of them hitting the back of the overturned semi. The other two semis were involved in a rear-end collision.

August 14, 2025

News: Pedestrian, 65, dies after being struck by vehicle near the Paddock Mall in Ocala

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – The Ocala Police Department was dispatched to a fatal pedestrian accident near the Paddock Mall early Thursday morning.

In a Facebook post, police said they were notified of the incident on SW College Road at 5:39 a.m. A preliminary investigation found that an SUV traveling eastbound struck a pedestrian in the roadway. Police and rescue crews responded and found the victim, age 65, dead in the eastbound lanes. The person’s identity was not immediately released as authorities worked to notify the family.

The driver of the SUV was not injured but was hospitalized as a precaution.

August 13, 2025

News: 2nd member of Ocala radio team dies following crash at State Road 200

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – Two people who formed a well-known radio team in Ocala have died following a vehicle collision last month, the Ocala StarBanner reports.

The victims were Robin MacBlane and Larry Whitler, both age 70, who were together in a vehicle involved in a crash at State Road 200 and Southwest 103rd Street Road on July 17. Whitler died that day while MacBlane passed away from her injuries on Saturday, August 9.

The Florida Highway Patrol said MacBlane was driving a sedan on westbound SR 200 at about 7:24 p.m. and was making a left turn onto Southwest 103rd Street Road when the vehicle was struck in the intersection by a pickup truck going east on SR 200.

August 12, 2025

News: Crash at U.S. 301 and County Road 472 in Wildwood leaves 1 dead

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

WILDWOOD, FL – Authorities were called to the scene of a deadly accident in Sumter County on Tuesday morning, reports the Villages News.

The wreck happened at the intersection of U.S. 301 and County Road 472 in Wildwood at about 11 a.m. A witness reported that the driver involved was ejected through the roof of the vehicle. The person was pronounced dead. No information was released on the identity of the victim, or the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The Florida Highway Patrol, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Wildwood Police Department all responded. Traffic was diverted from State Road 214 to State Road 209, and southbound U.S. 301 at County Road 222. All lanes were reopened by 1:50 p.m.

August 11, 2025

News: Man struck, killed by car while walking on State Road 56 in Pasco County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

WESLEY CHAPEL, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal pedestrian collision that occurred in Pasco County last week, Pasco News Online reports.

The accident happened Wednesday night, Aug. 6, along State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel. The FHP said that a man had previously been involved in a minor traffic accident and was walking on SR-56 when he was struck by a westbound Honda Civic near Shops Lane at about 10:17 p.m.

The victim, a 34-year-old man, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital. The driver of the Honda, a 40-year-old man from Sanford, was not injured.