Lake County

October 19, 2023

News: Lady Lake man dies following rollover crash on Florida Turnpike

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – A single-vehicle accident in Lake County early Tuesday morning left the driver dead, reports the Villages-News.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the victim was a 26-year-old man from Lady Lake. State troopers said he was driving a 2012 Ford Escape on the Florida Turnpike at about 3:30 a.m. when he went off the right shoulder of the roadway near mile marker 286 in the vicinity of U.S. 27.

The vehicle overturned multiple times and the driver was ejected. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The man was not wearing his seat belt at the time, the FHP said.

October 3, 2023

News: Bicyclist, 17, fatally struck by bus near Lake County school

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a teenage bicyclist died after an accident in Lake County on Monday morning.

According to WESH, the 17-year-old boy was riding a bicycle on Hancock Road near the entrance to Lake Minneola High School when the crash occurred shortly before 7 a.m. Investigators said the bicycle rider was in a marked crosswalk when the driver of a school bus made a left turn and swerved to miss the teen but was unable to avoid a collision.

The victim, a student at the high school, was hit by the bus and pronounced dead after being rushed to South Lake Hospital. No one on board the bus was injured.

September 29, 2023

News: Bicyclist critically injured after being hit by semi on State Road 44

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – A bicyclist was critically injured after being hit by a truck in Lake County on Wednesday morning, reports Inside Lake.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the victim was a 45-year-old man from Paisley. He was trying to ride across State Road 44 near Spruce Drive when the accident occurred at about 8:15 a.m.

The bicycle entered the path of a semi-truck with a trailer, and when the driver of the truck swerved to avoid the bicycle, the vehicle overturned on the road’s south shoulder. Investigators said the back end of the trailer caused the bicyclist to be thrown from the bike.

September 7, 2023

News: Motorcyclist, 84, killed in collision with car in Lake County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – A collision in Lake County on Monday afternoon claimed the life of an elderly motorcycle rider, WKMG reports.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the victim was an 84-year-old man from Leesburg. The FHP’s investigation found that he was riding east on El Presidente Boulevard near U.S. Highway 27 at about 2:09 p.m. The motorcyclist failed to stop for a stop sign while trying to make a left turn near the intersection, and entered the path of a Toyota Corolla heading south on U.S. Highway 27.

The front of the car collided with the left side of the bike. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital. The driver of the Corolla, a 31-year-old woman from Georgia, was not injured.

August 28, 2023

News: Pedestrian killed, motorcyclist injured in Lake County collision

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MOUNT DORA, FL – Police in Lake County said a pedestrian died following a crash last week, according to Inside Lake.

The victim was believed to have been walking in the roadway on County Road 19A near Progress Boulevard in Mount Dora Tuesday at about 1 a.m. when he was hit by a motorcycle.

The pedestrian, identified as 42-year-old Jason Bowlin, suffered fatal injuries. The motorcyclist, 38-year-old Brandon Crunk, was hospitalized in critical condition.

August 8, 2023

News: Multi-vehicle crash on Florida Turnpike leaves 2 hospitalized

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – A collision on the Florida Turnpike in Lake County sent two people to the hospital, according to a report by WESH.

The Florida Highway Patrol said a total of five vehicles were involved in the wreck that occurred along the turnpike in Clermont.

The victims were transported with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening. No details were released on what led to the crash.

July 31, 2023

News: Bicycle rider struck by hit-and-run driver in Sorrento

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SORRENTO, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a hit-and-run incident in Lake County last Wednesday morning that left a bicyclist hospitalized.

According to WKMG, the crash happened on Wolf Branch Road near County Road 437 in Sorrento. The FHP said a 59-year-old bicycle rider was headed east on Wolf Branch Road at about 4:45 a.m. when he was struck by a vehicle going in the same direction.

The victim, a man from Sorrento, was seriously injured and transported to an area hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. The bicycle did have proper lighting, troopers said.

July 7, 2023

News: Man killed when motorcycle collides with pickup truck in Lake County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – State troopers are investigating a fatal collision between a motorcycle and a pickup truck in Lake County on Sunday afternoon.

A report by WKMG states that the accident happened on County Road 44A near Bill Collins Road at about 1:30 p.m.

The Florida Highway Patrol said a man was driving a Ducati motorcycle behind a Chevrolet pickup truck with a trailer as both were going south on County Road 44A. The motorcycle rider tried to pass the Chevrolet in a no-passing zone as the pickup driver was making a left turn onto Bill Collins Road.

June 28, 2023

News: 2 injured, 1 critically, in car accident on County Road 42

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAKE COUNTY, FL – Authorities said a car accident in Lake County Sunday morning left two people injured, one critically.

According to WKMG, a driver was headed east on County Road 42 in an Acura SUV when the crash happened at about 11:20 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver lost control of the vehicle near 10th Street, entered the westbound travel lane and westbound shoulder, then overcorrected. The SUV went back into eastbound lane and off the roadway before colliding with a tree on the east shoulder.

The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was critically injured while her passenger, a 26-year-old man, sustained minor injuries. Both were airlifted to area hospitals.

June 14, 2023

News: 2 dead, 1 injured in accident on US 441 in Leesburg

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LEESBURG, FL – Two people were killed in a motor vehicle accident in Leesburg on Wednesday morning, rescue officials said.

In a post on Facebook at 10:41 a.m., Leesburg Fire Rescue said crews responded to the area of US 441 and Sleepy Hollow Road. First responders arrived to find the two victims deceased, while another person was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. One person refused treatment. The identities of the victims were not immediately released.

All northbound lanes were shut down on US 441 near the scene. Drivers were advised to expect delays and use alternate routes.