Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

June 8, 2022

4 dead, including 5-year-old girl, after SUV crashes into tree in Lake County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a car accident in Lake County early Wednesday morning left three adults and one child dead, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

The crash occurred on County Road 561 near Florida Boys Ranch Road shortly after midnight. State troopers said the driver of a 2008 Dodge Durango was unable to negotiate a right curve and the vehicle ran off the road onto a shoulder, where it slammed into a large tree.

The four occupants of the vehicle were all pronounced dead at the scene. The victims were three adults from Orlando, a 24-year-old man who was the driver, a 48-year-old man, and a 23-year-old woman, along with a 5-year-old girl from Clermont.

June 7, 2022

News: Motorcyclist killed in crash with dump truck in Ocala

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – Police in Ocala released details of a deadly motorcycle accident that occurred on Monday morning.

In a Facebook post, police said the incident took place in the vicinity of South Pine Avenue and Southeast 17th Street at about 6:50 a.m.

The driver of a dump truck was going north on South Pine Avenue and entered the left turn lane at the same time that a southbound motorcycle was approaching the same intersection.

June 6, 2022

News: Man charged with drunk driving in fatal wreck on Interstate 75

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

WILDWOOD, FL – Authorities have arrested an alleged drunk driver following an accident in Sumter County last week that left one person dead and three others injured, WKMG reports.

The Florida Highway Patrol said 40-year-old John Andrew Henderson of Kissimmee was driving a sedan south in the inside lane on Interstate 75 in Wildwood Wednesday at about 2:44 a.m. when he entered the center lane and struck a trailer that was being towed by a pickup truck. The impact caused the pickup to go over a guardrail and overturn.

The pickup truck driver, a 32-year-old man from Spring Hill, Tennessee, was pronounced dead at the scene. His three passengers, a 32-year-old man, a 31-year-old woman and a 12-year-old boy, were hospitalized with serious injuries. All are from Spring Hill. Henderson was not injured.

June 3, 2022

News: Bicyclist critically injured following collision with car in Putnam County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PUTNAM COUNTY, FL – A bicyclist was critically injured after colliding with a car in Putnam County Tuesday morning, WGFL reports.

The incident took place in the vicinity of State Road 100 and Springside Shortcut Road. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the bicyclist was going west on a bike path parallel to State Road 100 and failed to stop before entering a crosswalk.

The front of the bicycle struck the front right fender of a vehicle that was headed north on Springside Shortcut Road, the FHP said.

June 2, 2022

News: 2 teenagers killed when SUV crashes into pond in Pasco County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a sport utility vehicle accident in Pasco County Monday night left two teenagers dead, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Investigators said a 17-year-old boy was driving an SUV in the area of Estancia Boulevard and San Romano Drive when he lost control of the vehicle at about 10:30 p.m.

The vehicle crashed into a retention pond and became completely submerged, the FHP said. Divers with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office entered the water and found the vehicle several hours later.

June 1, 2022

News: Spring Hill man killed when motorcycle collides with pickup on County Line Road

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SPRING HILL, FL – Authorities said a motorcyclist was killed and his passenger injured in a collision with a pickup truck in Spring Hill early Monday morning.

According to WTSP, the 50-year-old motorcyclist was going west on County Line Road shortly after midnight at the same time the pickup was headed east on County Line Road in the left turn lane.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver of the pickup turned left into the path of the motorcycle at the intersection with Waterfall Drive, causing a collision. The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead of his injuries at an area hospital. A 50-year-old woman who was his passenger was hospitalized in critical condition. Both are Spring Hill residents.

May 31, 2022

News: Arrest made in loose tire accident that killed motorcycle rider on I-75 in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – Authorities said they have made an arrest in connection with a recent accident in Sumter County that left a motorcyclist dead, the Villages-News reports.

32-year-old Emmanuel Quesada Fonseca was arrested on a charge of driving without a license in a case involving death. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Fonseca was driving a truck towing a trailer south on Interstate 75 in Wildwood on May 19 when one of the trailer’s tire rims came loose and rolled into the path of a man riding a motorcycle along with three fellow bikers.

When the motorcycle struck the rim, the rider was thrown from the bike and landed on the roadway. The victim, a 55-year-old man from Acworth, Georgia, was pronounced dead at the scene.

May 30, 2022

News: 2 dead in separate car accidents in Dunnellon and Silver Springs

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – Authorities responded to two fatal car accidents in Marion County over the weekend, the Ocala StarBanner reports.

The first incident occurred on Friday on County Road 314A, where a 40-year-old Silver Springs woman drove off the road on CR 314A while driving a Toyota Scion shortly before 8 p.m. When the car veered onto the east shoulder she overcorrected to the left, went across both lanes of the roadway and crashed into a tree. The woman, whose name was not released, was extricated from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash disrupted traffic through the area for several hours.

May 27, 2022

News: Delivery man fatally struck by his van in The Villages in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating an accident that killed a newspaper delivery man in Sumter County, reports WESH.

The incident happened on Oak Bend Place in The Villages, where the 76-year-old man was delivering newspapers in his Chrysler van Sunday morning at about 5:45 a.m. According to the FHP, he stopped and got out of the van, but the vehicle was not placed in park and it began rolling.

The delivery man was struck by the open door of the vehicle and was knocked to the ground. The victim, a resident of Martinez, Georgia, suffered fatal injuries.

May 26, 2022

News: Collision at Marion County intersection leaves 1 dead, 9 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A van carrying special needs passengers was involved in a fatal five-vehicle crash in Marion County on Tuesday afternoon, the Ocala News reported.

The Chevrolet transport van was headed south on U.S. 441 near SE Sunset Harbor Road when the accident occurred just after 3 p.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said the van entered the intersection at the same time as an eastbound Dodge Journey, and the vehicles collided. The impact caused the van to hit a Toyota Corolla and a Subaru Outback that were both in the left turn lane of U.S. 441. Meanwhile the Journey crashed into a Nissan Altima that was also in the left turn lane.

A 36-year-old Ocala woman who was a passenger in the van was thrown from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, a 53-year-old Ocala woman, another adult and four children who have special needs were hospitalized. No details were provided on the extent of their injuries.