Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

May 15, 2024

News: Driver arrested on DUI charge in fatal Hernando County accident

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – Authorities announced an arrest in connection with a deadly collision in Hernando County in November 2023, Pasco News Online reports.

48-year-old Kristie Lynn Paxton of Hudson is charged with DUI manslaughter for the crash that occurred on Mariner Boulevard near Case Grande Circle.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Paxton was driving a 2005 Nissan Armada when she lost control of the vehicle. The Nissan collided with a 2019 Toyota Tacoma, causing Paxton and her passenger to be ejected.

May 14, 2024

8 Killed in Farm Worker Bus Crash Shutting Down S.R. 40 in Marion County | Ocala Car Accident Lawyers Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

A multi-fatality crash has shut down State Road 40 in Marion County between U.S. 41 and West County Road 328 between Ocala and Dunnellon.

According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the accident occurred around 6:30 a.m. today involving at least one or more large buses.

Marion County Public Safety Information officials confirmed that 53 people were onboard at the time of the accident, 8 people were killed, there are 8 additional trauma alerts, and 38 others were transported to nearby hospitals.

May 13, 2024

News: Pedestrian dies after being struck by vehicles on State Road 44

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – Authorities were called to the scene of a deadly pedestrian accident on State Road 44 in Sumter County on Friday morning, WKMG reports.

The Florida Highway Patrol said it happened shortly before 6 a.m., when a male pedestrian tried to walk across S.R. 44 at County Road 229 near Wildwood.

The pedestrian entered the path of two westbound vehicles and was struck first by a Range Rover, then by a cement truck that was traveling behind it. The victim, whose identity was not immediately released, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Range Rover was a 42-year-old man, while the truck was driven by a 29-year-old man, both from Leesburg.

May 10, 2024

News: Motorcyclist fatally struck by driver who failed to yield at US-41, FHP says

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a collision in Pasco County Tuesday evening that left a motorcyclist dead.

According to Pasco News Online, the driver of a Mazda CX-5 was headed east on Tower Road and failed to yield to a southbound Suzuki motorcycle at the intersection with US-41. The Mazda turned left into the path of the motorcycle, resulting in a collision.

The motorcyclist, a 21-year-old man from Spring Hill, was pronounced dead at the scene. The Mazda driver, a 70-year-old Land O’Lakes woman, was not injured.

May 9, 2024

News: 1 driver killed, 1 injured in head-on crash on Schofield Road

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – A head-on collision in Lake County Wednesday morning left one of the drivers dead and the other injured, WKMG reported.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver of a 2018 Nissan Maxima was going eastbound on Schofield Road at about 6:30 a.m. when he crossed over the center line near 5 Mile Road.

The Nissan entered the path of a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee, resulting in a crash. Both vehicles then overturned several times.

May 8, 2024

News: Motorcyclist dies after colliding with garbage truck on State Road 54

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – A motorcycle and a garbage truck were involved in a fatal crash in Pasco County Monday morning, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

According to a report by Pasco News Online, the collision took place in the area of State Road 54 and Monmouth Drive. The FHP said the driver of a westbound Waste Management garbage truck was trying to make a turn from SR-54 onto Monmouth Drive and crashed into an eastbound motorcycle.

The motorcycle rider died at the scene. He was a 51-year-old man from Lutz, authorities said. The truck driver, a 35-year-old resident of Spring Hill, was not injured.

May 7, 2024

News: Ocala man killed in pickup truck accident on I-75 in Gainesville

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol released details of a fatal wreck that occurred in Gainesville early Sunday morning.

The Ocala StarBanner reports a pickup truck driver was headed north on Interstate 75 when the crash occurred at about 12:25 a.m.

According to the FHP, the driver was going at a high rate of speed when he took the Williston Road exit ramp and was unable to negotiate the curve.

May 6, 2024

News: Truck driver dead following wreck on County Road 219A

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL – An investigation is underway into a fatal accident that took place in Alachua County on Friday morning, according to WCJB.

The Florida Highway Patrol was called to the scene on County Road 219A southbound at about 4:50 a.m. Responding state troopers arrived to find that a 2001 Mazda truck had gone off the roadway and overturned.

The driver, a 47-year-old Hawthorne man, died at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time. No other vehicles were involved in the wreck

May 3, 2024

News: Woman sentenced to prison for fatal hit-and-run in Lake County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – A woman who was charged in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Lake County has been sentenced to prison, the Villages-News reports.

Authorities said 32-year-old Tara Rene Schiessle of Lady Lake was the driver involved in the Sept 11, 2022 crash on Rolling Acres Road. The Florida Highway Patrol said Schiessle was driving a Jeep Cherokee Sport when she struck and killed a pedestrian, 40-year-old Jamie Weinz. Weinz’s male companion was also hit and seriously injured. Schiessle allegedly stopped briefly, then kept going after hitting the two victims.

According to investigators, Schiessle initially reported she had struck a deer. But the vehicle sought in the accident was linked to Schiessle after being tracked down to her apartment complex.

May 2, 2024

News: Tampa man dies when motorcycle hits utility pole in Land O’Lakes

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAND O’LAKES, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a man was killed in a motorcycle crash in Pasco County on Sunday morning.

Pasco News Online reports the accident happened on Ehren Cutoff near Tower Road in Land O’Lakes. According to state troopers, a 35-year-old Tampa man was going over the speed limit while riding south on a Yamaha motorcycle and lost control of the bike.

The motorcycle went off the road and hit a utility pole on the shoulder. The rider, whose name was not immediately released, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital.