Sumter County

September 11, 2023

News: Pickup truck and semi involved in fatal collision at SR-471 intersection

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A tractor-trailer and a pickup truck were involved in a fatal collision in Sumter County early Thursday morning, according to WKMG.

The Florida Highway Patrol’s crash report said the pickup truck driver was going east on County Road 476 at about 4:50 a.m., and failed to yield to the semi-truck headed north on State Road 471. The pickup crashed into the undercarriage of the semi at the intersection.

The pickup driver, a 29-year-old man from Crystal River, was pronounced dead at the scene. No injuries were reported for the other driver, a 63-year-old Coleman man.

July 20, 2023

News: SUV crashes into tree on County Road 466 in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and the Villages Public Safety Department were called to the scene of a car accident on Monday morning, the Villages-News reports.

It happened on County Road 466 near Morse Boulevard at about 9:26 a.m. Authorities said the driver of an SUV was heading west in the left lane when the vehicle went off the roadway and crashed into a tree in the median.

The airbags deployed and the four occupants of the vehicle escaped injury. No citations were issued in the incident, the sheriff’s office said.

June 30, 2023

News: Man sentenced for leaving scene of crash in the Villages

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HAWKINS, FL – A man was sentenced in connection with a hit-and-run crash in the Villages last month, reports The Villages-News.

36-year-old Mark Regan of Pennsylvania was arrested on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident after the incident that occurred May 1 in the area of State Road 44 and Powell Road.

Police said Regan was driving a Mazda 3 when he struck the back of a trailer being towed by a truck at about 3 p.m.

May 9, 2023

News: Collision on SR-471 in Sumter County kills 3, injures 1

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A collision in Sumter County on Saturday morning left three people dead and another injured, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

According to WFLA, the crash occurred on State Road 471 near South Grade Road. An investigation indicated that a man driving a sedan on SR-471 near the Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve veered into the opposite lane at about 4 a.m. His vehicle crashed into another sedan nearly head-on.

The driver of the first car, a 42-year-old Winter Haven man, and the driver of the second vehicle along with a 54-year-old female passengers all were killed in the accident. Another passenger in the second sedan, a 47-year-old man, was seriously injured. All three occupants of the second car were residents of Lima, Ohio.

May 2, 2023

News: 4 injured in Sumter County crash after driver runs red light

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said four people were injured after two vehicles collided at a Sumter County intersection early Sunday morning.

According to WKMG, the crash happened at State Road 44 and Morse Boulevard at about 4:15 a.m.

The FHP said the driver of a sedan was going at high speed while headed east on State Road 44 and went through a red light at the intersection. The sedan collided with an SUV going south on Morse Boulevard, causing both vehicles to end up on the south shoulder of State Road 44.

April 21, 2023

News: Driver killed when pickup truck crashes into tree on County Road 475

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – State troopers said a pickup truck accident in Sumter County Thursday morning left one person dead.

According to WKMG, the crash occurred on County Road 475 at about 12:15 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said the male driver was going north on C.R. 475 when the pickup went off the roadway near State Road 470.

The vehicle crashed into a tree and caught fire, killing the driver. His identity was not immediately released.

April 13, 2023

News: Woman fatally struck by her own SUV on street in the Villages

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a woman died following an accident involving her vehicle in Sumter County Saturday afternoon.

According to WTSP, the incident happened on Fringe Tree Trail near Knotty Pine Terrace in the Villages shortly before 4 p.m. The FHP said a 62-year-old woman driving a sport utility vehicle had backed out of a driveway and crashed into a vehicle that was parked on the opposite road of the road.

The woman then pulled back into the driveway to check on the damage and got out of her SUV but reportedly did not shift the vehicle into park, according to state troopers. The SUV ran over the woman and she was killed. The victim’s identity was not immediately released.

February 23, 2023

News: Motorcyclist dies after being rear-ended on State Road 44

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A collision in Sumter County Wednesday morning claimed the life of a motorcycle rider, reports WKMG.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the 65-year-old motorcyclist was riding west on State Road 44 near County Road 44A when the accident happened at about 5:50 a.m. According to the FHP, a 44-year-old man from the Villages was riding behind the motorcycle when he rear-ended the bike.

The motorcyclist, a resident of Bushnell, was pronounced dead at the scene.

February 16, 2023

News: Spring Hill woman killed when freight train crashes into car

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A railroad accident along the tracks in Sumter County early Tuesday morning left a woman dead, WKMG reported.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the accident happened on County Road 475 at County Road 470 near Lake Panasoffkee at about 2:30 a.m.

State troopers said a Chrysler 200 was parked on the railroad tracks adjacent to County Road 475 with its lights off. A CSX freight train going south was not able to stop in time and crashed into the car.

December 23, 2022

News: Man and boy from Ocala killed in crash on Florida Turnpike

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A collision on the Florida Turnpike early Thursday morning left two people dead, an adult and a child.

The accident happened near mile marker 304 in Sumter County, according to a report by WKMG.

The Florida Highway Patrol said two vehicles, a sedan and a sport utility vehicle, were heading northbound on the turnpike shortly before 1 a.m. when the driver of the sedan tried to overtake the SUV.