Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

April 11, 2025

News: Hurricane Milton caused damage of over $34 billion, new report finds

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The National Hurricane Center has released a new report on the damage caused by Hurricane Milton last October, according to WPTV.

The analysis concluded that Milton, one of the strongest hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin, caused 15 deaths, 12 in Florida and three in Mexico. Six people died in a tornado near Fort Pierce and Vero Beach. Four people were killed by falling trees and two deaths were due to freshwater flooding.

The storm had an estimated economic cost of over $34 billion, almost all of it in Florida.

April 10, 2025

News: Man accused of leaving scene of crash after pursuit in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a man who allegedly left the scene of a crash last week.

The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Tayvone Johnson, was accused of fleeing on foot after the accident April 2 near the Florida National Cemetery. The crash occurred during a pursuit by law enforcement authorities.

Sumter County Sheriff’s deputies joined the Florida Highway Patrol in the search for Johnson in the area of Interstate 75 and County Road 476B. He was eventually arrested after being located in the area of County Road 673. Three other suspects were previously taken into custody.

April 9, 2025

News: Head-on collision in Clermont leaves 1 driver dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CLERMONT, FL – A collision between two vehicles in Lake County left one of the drivers dead and the other injured, WKMG reported.

The vehicles, a Mercedes GLA Class and a Ford F-150, crashed on Schofield Road near Five Mile Road in Clermont on Tuesday.

The Florida Highway Patrol determined that the Mercedes driver was going west at about 5:35 p.m. when she veered into the eastbound lanes for unknown reasons. The Mercedes then collided head-on with the Ford as that vehicle was going east.

April 8, 2025

News: Dade City man killed after vehicle crashes on I-275 entrance ramp

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – State troopers are investigating the cause of a fatal wreck that occurred in Pasco County on Friday evening, Pasco News Online reported.

One person was killed in the incident, a 42-year-old man from Dade City. The Florida Highway Patrol said he was driving a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck northbound on the Interstate 275 entrance to Interstate 75 when he lost control of the vehicle.

The pickup went across the gore and overturned, before ending up in the northbound travel lanes of I-75. The driver was ejected from the Tacoma and was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital.

April 7, 2025

News: Ocala man dies in pedestrian collision along U.S. 441

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol was dispatched to a fatal pedestrian collision in Marion County Sunday night, WKMG reported.

According to the FHP, the accident happened on U.S. 441 near SE 3rd Avenue at about 9:35 p.m. A driver going south on US 441 struck a man who was standing in the outside lane of the roadway near SE 3rd Avenue.

The man, a 52-year-old Ocala resident, died at the scene. The driver, a 27-year-old woman from Reddick, was not injured in the incident.

April 4, 2025

News: Head-on collision on County Road 42 leaves 2 dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – A head-on collision between two cars in Lake County Friday, March 28, left a driver and a passenger dead, reports The Daily Commercial.

The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation determined that the vehicles were going in opposite directions on County Road 42 when the accident happened shortly after 7:00 p.m.

The driver of an eastbound 2015 Ford Mustang was speeding while approaching Lazy Lake Road, state troopers said. As the driver tried to pass in a no-passing zone while negotiating a curve, the Mustang entered the westbound lane and collided with a 2018 Mitsubishi Mirage G4.

April 3, 2025

News: Motorcyclist, 19, killed in collision with pickup truck on State Road 45

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

NEWBERRY, FL – A motorcycle and a pickup truck were involved in a deadly collision in Alachua County on Tuesday night, News4Jax reported.

The Florida Highway Patrol states that a 19-year-old man was riding a motorcycle north on State Road 45 in Newberry when the incident took place at about 8 p.m. The FHP’s investigation found that the rider was trying to pass cars lawfully when he collided with a Ford F-350 pickup trying to turn left across the highway near SW 46th Avenue.

The motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Ford, a 46-year-old Newberry man, was not injured in the wreck. State troopers said he was wearing a seat belt at the time.

April 2, 2025

News: 3 injured in accident in Dunnellon involving car and tractor-trailer

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – Emergency crews were called to a collision in Marion County last Thursday morning that left three people injured.

According to a Facebook post from Marion County Fire Rescue, units were dispatched to the intersection of SW Oleander Place and SW Marine Boulevard in Dunnellon shortly before 8 a.m.

It was reported that a Toyota sedan and a semi tractor-trailer were involved in the wreck, and occupants of the sedan were trapped. Three people were extricated and were taken to a local trauma hospital, with one of them designated as a trauma alert.

April 1, 2025

News: Passenger killed, driver injured when pickup crashes into tree in Lake County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – State troopers said a single-vehicle accident in Lake County last week left one person dead and another injured, WKMG reported.

The wreck, which involved a Ford F-350 pickup truck, occurred March 24 in the area of Lake Erie Road and Bay Lake Road.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of the Ford was heading west on Lake Erie Road at about 5:21 p.m. and failed to maintain his lane while negotiating a left-hand curve. The pickup went off the roadway and collided with a tree.

March 31, 2025

News: Rollover accident in Lake County leaves 3 women dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating an accident in Lake County early Sunday morning that left three women dead and another injured, the Leesburg News reports.

The crash happened on State Road 19 near Howey-in-the-Hills at about 3:15 a.m. According to the FHP, the driver of a northbound 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee failed to negotiate a left curve and ran off the road at St. Florian Lane. The Jeep crashed into a pole and then overturned several times. All four occupants were ejected from the vehicle.

The driver, a 30-year-old Mount Dora woman, and a passenger died at the scene. Another passenger was pronounced dead after being taken to Orlando Regional Medical Center. The passengers who died were two women from Eustis, ages 32 and 28. Another passenger, a 26-year-old Eustis woman, was hospitalized in critical condition.