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Umatilla man killed in Astor early Wednesday morning; SR 40 shut down

Inside Scoop, Umatilla, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego / May 29, 2024 / Astor, Fatality, FHP, Florida, Lake County, Umatilla / 1 minute of reading

Update: FHP identifies Umatilla man killed in Astor early Wednesday – Inside Lake

ASTOR, Fla.—A 26-year-old Umatilla man was killed Wednesday after he was struck by an SUV on State Road 40 in Astor, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The Umatilla man was standing in the westbound lane of State Road 40 shortly after 4 a.m. when he was struck by 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee being driven by a 58-year-old Polk City woman.

The woman swerved to avoid the man, but the right side of the SUV struck him, killing him. His next of kin has not been notified. The Polk City woman was not injured and remained on scene, FHP said.

State Road 40 west of Blue Creek Lodge Road remained shut down in both directions at press time while troopers conduct their investigation.

About The Author

Marilyn M. Aciego

Publisher Marilyn M. Aciego was born and raised in Lake County and is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She began her journalism career at LSSC and in 2023 she was honored with LSSC’s Distinguished Alumni Professional Achievement Award. She began working at the Daily Commercial while she was in college and continued her career there as a reporter after she graduated. In her 20+ year-career, she covered many of the area’s top stories including the disappearance of Trenton Duckett and the death of beloved Sheriff Chris Daniels. She has landed many exclusive interviews and was the first to break two of the biggest stories of 2024- the death of Jamaria Sessions and the murder of a Lake County Sheriff's Office deputy and the attempted murder of two other deputies. In addition to Inside Lake, Marilyn is the single mom of a teenaged son and the Florida Bureau Chief for an international media organization.

About The Author

Marilyn M. Aciego

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