Car Accidents

March 20, 2025

News: Citrus County teacher killed in accident involving van and dump truck

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CITRUS COUNTY, FL – A two-vehicle crash claimed the life of a Citrus County school teacher last week, according to a WFTS report.

The collision, involving a dump truck and a minivan, happened March 12 on West Homosassa Trail. The Florida Highway Patrol stated that 50-year-old Crystal Jackson was driving her Dodge minivan eastbound shortly after 7 a.m. when the dump truck, traveling westbound, attempted to turn left and struck her vehicle.

Jackson, a social studies teacher at Lecanto Middle School, died in the wreck. Her three children who were with her in the car, two girls 15 and 16 and a 12-year-old boy, were taken to area hospitals with injuries that were not life-threatening.

March 19, 2025

News: Vehicle slams into tree on NW 4th Avenue in Newberry, killing motorist

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol has released details of a fatal collision that occurred Friday night in Alachua County.

According to a report in the Gainesville Sun, a 45-year-old man from Gainesville died in the wreck. The FHP’s investigation determined that he was driving a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro eastbound on NW Fourth Avenue in Newberry when the incident occurred at 10:25 p.m.

The car veered to the right near NW 251st Street, crossed onto the south shoulder and collided with a tree head-on. The motorist died after being rushed to UF Health Shands Hospital. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, state troopers said.

March 17, 2025

News: Overnight crash shuts down northbound lanes of I-75 near Wildwood

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OXFORD, FL – Traffic was disrupted along Interstate 75 in Sumter County Monday morning due to an overnight accident, WESH reports.

The Florida Highway Patrol and emergency crews responded to the wreck shortly before 1:30 a.m. on I-75 north near County Road 475 near Wildwood.

The FHP said there were injuries as a result of the incident, but did not release further details on who had been hurt.

March 14, 2025

News: Rollover accident on Interstate 75 near Gainesville kills 1, injures 5

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – One person was killed and five others injured in a rollover crash in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 on Monday, according to WUFT.

The Florida Highway Patrol said an SUV rolled over near the Southwest Williston Road exit near Gainesville at about 5:35 p.m. The 33-year-old driver suffered fatal injuries. Two of the five injured passengers were in critical condition, a 30-year-old woman and a 6-year-old child. A 13-year-old girl was seriously injured while two other girls, ages 5 and 8, sustained minor injuries. All occupants of the vehicle were from Beverly Hills in Citrus County.

The FHP is trying to determine what caused the wreck, which shut down the southbound lanes of I-75 hours for several hours while the scene was being cleared. Drivers were diverted off the interstate to Archer Road.

March 13, 2025

News: Multi-vehicle accident on northbound I-75 sends 6 to hospital

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – Emergency crews were dispatched to a multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 75 in Marion County last week that sent six people to the hospital.

In a release posted on Facebook, Ocala Fire Rescue said the crash occurred March 5 on I-75 northbound at about 4:49 p.m. First responders arrived to find four damaged vehicles blocking all three northbound lanes of the interstate.

The vehicles involved were a pickup truck, a sedan that ended up against the guardrail, and two SUVs, one of which overturned. The driver of the pickup and a minor in the sedan were transported to the hospital as trauma alerts.

March 6, 2025

News: Man killed, woman injured in wreck on U.S. 19 in Crystal River

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CRYSTAL RIVER, FL – Two vehicles were involved in a deadly collision on U.S. 19 in Crystal River last week, according to the Citrus County Chronicle.

The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation of the Feb. 26 accident found that the driver of a Hyundai Accent had pulled out of a parking lot to go west onto U.S. 19 when the vehicle was struck by a northbound GMC Yukon near State Road 44.

The driver of the Hyundai, a 71-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene while his passenger, a 69-year-old woman, was seriously injured. Both were Homosassa residents.

March 5, 2025

News: Scooter crash in Gainesville claims life of University of Florida student

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – A collision between a car and a scooter in Gainesville claimed the life of a University of Florida student, the Gainesville Sun reports.

The crash occurred Sunday evening near the Southwest Recreation Center on campus. Gainesville police said the student was riding her scooter west on Hull Road at about 7:30 p.m. At the same time, the driver of a Mustang was gong east on Hull Road when they tried to make a turn into a parking lot and crashed into the scooter.

The student, identified as 21-year-old Nyla Holland, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital.

March 4, 2025

News: Head-on crash on State Road 54 leaves 1 driver dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said one driver died and another was injured after their vehicles crashed in Pasco County Monday morning.

Pasco News Online reported details of the collision, which occurred on State Road 54 near Heron Cove Drive in Lutz.

According to the FHP, the driver of an Infiniti G37 was heading west shortly before 8 a.m. and failed to properly navigate a curve in the roadway.

March 3, 2025

News: Woman involved in crash after fleeing from Marion County deputy

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A driver is facing charges after crashing her vehicle while fleeing from law enforcement in Marion County last week, according to a WCJB report.

The suspect in the Feb. 24 incident was identified as 33-year-old Nicole Backer, of Ocala. Authorities said she was spotted entering her car and then failing to stop before driving onto Northeast 24th Street. Officials also said she was not wearing a seatbelt.

A Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy began following Backer, who tried to turn onto Northeast 25th Street but swung too wide into the shoulder of the road and was almost hit by another vehicle.

February 25, 2025

Do Not Leave the Scene of a Car Crash – Here’s Why

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Hit-and-run car accidents are a big problem in the state of Florida, with nearly 25% of all crashes involving a hit-and-run driver. Most of these accidents result in property damage, but the reality is that a good amount of hit-and-run accidents can result in serious injuries or even death.

According to the FLHSMV, there were 104,273 hit-and-run crashes in Florida in 2023, which is a decrease of less than 1% from 2022. Of these hit-and-run collisions in 2023, 271 lives were lost and another 871 suffered serious bodily injuries. Out of the 271 people who were killed in hit-and-run accidents in 2023, 159 were pedestrians and 47 were bicyclists.

What Are the Laws in Florida Regarding Hit-and-Run Accidents?