FHP

Motorcyclist Killed in Head-On Crash, Paisley Woman Airlifted Thursday

Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

PAISLEY, Florida—A Daytona Beach man was killed Thursday afternoon when the motorcycle he was riding drifted into oncoming traffic and struck a car head-on, seriously injuring a Paisley woman, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The 72-year-old man was riding a 2007 Harley-Davidson eastbound on County Road 42 west of 4th Street when he entered the westbound lane and struck a 2017 Hyundai Veloster being driven by a 23-year-old woman shortly before 2 p.m. The impact caused the Hyundai to run off the road and strike several trees, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.

The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead at the scene and the driver of the Hyundai was airlifted to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford in serious but stable condition, Crescenzi said. County Road 42 was still blocked at press time and the crash remains under investigation.

File photo

FHP: Suspect Fleeing Lady Lake Police Crashes Into SUV, Sends Woman, 2 Teens to the Hospital

Fruitland Park, Inside Scoop, Lady Lake / By

FRUITLAND PARK, Florida—The Florida Highway Patrol has released information on the crash that killed a suspect and sent three people to the hospital Saturday afternoon.

A 35-year-old Orlando man driving a black Hyundai Elantra fled Lady Lake Police Department just after 4 p.m. Saturday and “due to its recklessness and speeds Lady Lake PD lost sight of (the car,) FHP Lt. Channing Taylor said.

The Hyundai continued to drive recklessly and began driving southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 27/441 near 466A in Fruitland Park. The Hyundai struck a silver Kia Sportage being driven by a 43-year-old woman of The Villages. The driver of the Hyundai was pronounced dead at the scene and the woman was seriously injured. Her passengers, two teen girls, aged 13 and 14, also of The Villages, received minor injuries. All three were transported to area hospitals, Taylor said.

FHP was requested to assist in the crash investigation approximately two and a half hours after the crash.

Fruitland Park Police Chief Erik Luce released a statement on the crash late Saturday night.

FPPD was notified that LLPD was pursuing a vehicle into the city limits of Fruitland Park after a LLPD officer stated on the radio a suspect attempted to use their vehicle to run into an officer, Luce said in a press release.

The officer was investigating a theft at Home Depot, 871 U.S. Highway 27, Lady Lake when the incident occurred.

The suspect fled down U.S. Highway 27/441, crossed the center median and began driving southbound in the northbound lanes at an estimated 110 miles per hour. A Fruitland Park Police officer spotted the fleeing car and activated emergency lights but was unable to catch up to the vehicle, Luce said.

The incident remains under investigation.

Suspect Flees Lady Lake Police Wrong Way Down U.S. 27, Crashes into Vehicle, Suspect Dead, 3 Airlifted

Man, 21, Killed in ATV Crash

Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Unincorporated Lake / By

LEESBURG, Florida—The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating an ATV crash that killed a Leesburg man Saturday afternoon.

The 21-year-old man struck a pole while riding an ATV around 5:15 p.m. and was pronounced dead on the scene at Veech Road and Pruitt Street near Leesburg, FHP Lt. Channing Taylor said in a press release.

It is unknown if the man was riding the ATV on the roadway, or if he was wearing a helmet. There was no other information available at press time because FHP’s traffic homicide investigator was sent to additional fatal crashes that occurred soon after the ATV crash, Taylor said.

FHP is also investigating a fatal crash in Fruitland Park that killed a suspect fleeing Lady Lake Police Department.

PHOTO: Florida Highway Patrol

Suspect Flees Lady Lake Police Wrong Way Down U.S. 27, Crashes into Vehicle, Suspect Dead, 3 Airlifted

Fruitland Park, Inside Scoop, Lady Lake / By

FRUITLAND Park, Florida—A theft suspect is dead after fleeing from Lady Lake Police Department Saturday afternoon, crashing into an unsuspecting vehicle and sending three people to the hospital, according to Fruitland Park Police Chief Erik Luce.  

 FPPD was notified that Lady Lake Police Department was pursuing a vehicle into the city limits of Fruitland Park after a LLPD officer stated on the radio a suspect attempted to use their vehicle to run into an officer, Luce said in a press release.

The officer was investigating a theft at Home Depot, 871 U.S. Highway 27, Lady Lake when the incident occurred.

The suspect fled down U.S. Highway 27, crossed the center median and began driving southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 27 at an estimated 110 miles per hour. A Fruitland Park Police officer spotted the fleeing car and activated emergency lights but was unable to catch up to the vehicle, Luce said.

The vehicle then struck another vehicle that was traveling in the proper direction; the suspect was pronounced dead on the scene and three occupants in the other vehicle were airlifted to local hospitals with serious injuries.

The Florida Highway Patrol is assisting FPPD with the crash investigation. According to FHP Lt. Channing Taylor, the deceased suspect was driving a black Hyundai and struck a Kia occupied by the three crash victims. No names have been released by either agency.

The crash closed U.S. Highway 27 for the rest of the afternoon Saturday and most of the night.

PHOTO: Lady Lake Police Department

Troopers Investigating Fatal ATV Crash Near Leesburg

Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Unincorporated Lake / By

LEESBURG, Florida—An ATV crash has killed at least one person Saturday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Troopers are investigating the crash at Veech Road and Pruitt Street that occurred around 5:20 p.m., FHP Lt. Channing Taylor said in an email; no other information has been released. There is a roadblock in the area.

This is a developing story.

PHOTO: Florida Highway Patrol

2 Killed in 6-Vehicle Crash on Turnpike Friday Morning

Clermont, Howey-in-the-Hills, Inside Scoop, Leesburg / By

HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Florida—The crash that shut down the southbound lanes of Florida’s Turnpike most of the day Friday resulted in the deaths of two people, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

At 7:15 a.m. Friday, a 2020 Toyota Corolla being driven by a 23-year-old Tallahassee woman was traveling southbound on Florida’s Turnpike in the inside lane near mile marker 286 when she failed to stop for traffic ahead. She rear-ended a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox being driven by a 69-year-old Ocala man. The Chevrolet left the roadway and the right rear of the Chevrolet struck the left rear of a 2014 Jeep Cherokee being driven by a 67-year-old woman of Port Richey, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said.

The Chevrolet then struck a guardrail, rotated and struck a Dodge Ram 2500 head-on being driven by a 31-year-old Inverness man; the Chevrolet continued southbound and became wedged underneath the trailer of a 2018 tractor-trailer being driven by a 35-year-old Dunnellon man. The driver of the Chevrolet and his passenger, a 68-year-old Ocala woman, were both pronounced deceased on the scene.

After the initial impact between the Toyota and the Chevrolet, the Toyota rotated and struck a 2020 tractor-trailer being driven by a 34-year-old Anthony man. The Toyota became engulfed in flames, Crescenzi said.  

The driver of the Toyota and the Jeep were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries; the driver and passenger of the Dodge and the drivers of the two tractor-trailers were not injured. Everyone involved in the crash stayed on scene and the crash remains under investigation, Crescenzi said.

PHOTO CREDIT: Florida Highway Patrol

Pedestrian Killed on CR 473 Near Leesburg Late Thursday Night

Groveland, Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Unincorporated Lake / By

LEESBURG, Florida—A 41-year-old Groveland man was killed Thursday night while walking in the southbound lane of County Road 473 near Lake Drive, according to Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Tara Crescenzi.

Shortly after 10:30 p.m., a 2012 GMC Acadia being driven by a 38-year-old Leesburg man was traveling southbound on County Road 473 when it struck the Groveland man, killing him. The Leesburg man told troopers he did not see the man walking in his lane, Crescenzi said in a press release.

The Groveland man was pronounced deceased on the scene and the Leesburg man suffered minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

FHP: Multivehicle Crash Kills 2, Shuts Down Southbound Turnpike Lanes, Delays Expected for Hours

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Leesburg / By

LEESBURG, Florida—Two people are dead following a multivehicle crash that shut down the southbound lanes of Florida’s Turnpike, according to Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Channing Taylor.

The crash involves four passenger vehicles and two tractor-trailers and two people were pronounced dead at the scene, Taylor said.

Southbound traffic is being diverted at mile marker 289 and travelers should expect heavy traffic and delays for several hours, according to Taylor.

Polk County Detention Deputy Killed in Groveland Crash Wednesday

Groveland, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

GROVELAND, Florida—The young man killed in the head-on crash with a semi on State Road 33 in Groveland Wednesday has been identified as a Polk County detention deputy, by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO.)

Drake Sawyer Perry, 22, of Ocoee, was driving a 2014 Mazda 3 northbound on State Road 33 near Double H Lane when he veered into the southbound lane and struck a 2014 Volvo semi-truck head-on being driven by a 32-year-old man from Duluth, Georgia at 11:20 a.m. Wednesday. The semi then hit the rear left of a 2018 Hyundai Elantra, being driven by a 34-year-old Clermont woman, according to Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Tara Crescenzi.

Polk County Detention Deputy Drake Perry, left, was killed in a crash in Groveland Wednesday. PHOTO: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Perry was pronounced dead on the scene and the driver of the truck was transported to Orlando Health South Lake Hospital in Clermont with serious injuries. The Clermont woman and her passenger were not injured, Crescenzi said.

Perry was dual-certified as a detention deputy and law enforcement officer and began working for PCSO in December 2022. He was off-duty at the time of the crash.   

“We are all grieving at the loss of this young deputy who was just starting out in his career. Deputy Perry was an outstanding cadet in the academy, and his classmates and coworkers remember him as always smiling, always positive, and a team player who was always helping others. He was a natural born leader and aspired to be on the SWAT team. He will be greatly missed. Please keep his family in your prayers,” PCSO Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.

The crash remains under investigation.

Polk County Detention Deputy Drake Perry at his swearing-in ceremony with Sheriff Grady Judd, his grandmother, and his brother. Perry was killed in a crash in Groveland Wednesday. PHOTO: Polk County Sheriff’s Office
Polk County Sheriff's Office Detention Deputy Drake Perry PHOTO: Polk County Sheriff's Office

Separate Crashes Shut Down 2 Major Roads in Groveland Wednesday

Clermont, Groveland, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By

GROVELAND, Florida—Two major roads were shut down Wednesday as both Groveland Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol simultaneously worked traffic crashes.

GPD shut down State Road 19 between Bible Camp Road and Laviance Boulevard due to a crash at State 19 and Cherry Lake Road around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Cherry Lake Road was also shut down at Cherry Lake Landing, according to a GPD social media post. No other details were available at press time.

FHP shut down State Road 33 north of Double H Lane following a fatal crash that occurred at 11:20 a.m. Wednesday. A man driving a 2014 Mazda 3 entered the southbound lane of State Road 33 and hit a 2014 Volvo semi-truck head-on. The semi, being driven by a 32-year-old man from Duluth, Georgia, then hit a 2018 Hyundai Elantra, being driven by a 34-year-old Clermont woman, according to FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi.

The driver of the Mazda was pronounced dead on the scene and troopers were attempting to locate his next of kin, Crescenzi said. The driver of the semi was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and the Clermont woman was not injured.

Both crash scenes are active investigations.

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