FHP Archives - Inside Lake

Head-On Collision Kills Umatilla Man, Shuts Down SR 46 Friday

Inside Scoop, Umatilla, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

SORRENTO, Fla.—The Florida Highway Patrol is on scene of a crash that killed a Umatilla man and shut down State Road 46 in both directions.

The preliminary investigation revealed a 2009 Hyundai Sonata being driven by a 42-year-old Umatilla man was traveling westbound on State Road 46 near Wekiva Pines Boulevard around 5:40 p.m. when he veered into the eastbound lane and collided with 2022 Ford E-350 being driven by a 49-year-old Deltona man, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said.

The Umatilla man was transported to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford, where he was pronounced deceased. The Deltona man and his passenger, a 14-year-old male, were also transported to HCA Lake Monroe Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash shut down State Road 46 between County Road 46A and Osprey Hammock Trail and it was still shut down at press time.

The Villages Golf Cart Driver in Serious Condition Following Collision with Car

Inside Scoop, Lady Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

THE VILLAGES, Fla.—A 89-year-old man is in serious condition after driving his golf cart into the path of a car Tuesday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The 89-year-old man of The Villages was driving a golf cart northbound on a golf cart path shortly before 8 a.m. when he turned left in front of a car near Woodridge Drive in Sumter County, according to FHP.

The golf cart driver struck the left side of the car, being driven by a 69-year-old Lady Lake man. The golf cart driver was seriously injured; the Lady Lake man and his 69-year-old female passenger were not injured, FHP said.

Motorcyclist Killed After Running Stop Sign in Unincorporated Leesburg

Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LEESBURG, Fla.—A Leesburg motorcyclist was killed Monday after he ran a stop sign in unincorporated Leesburg, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The 84-year-old man was riding a 2007 Harley-Davidson motorcycle eastbound on El Presidente Boulevard when he failed to stop at the stop sign at U.S. Highway 27 while attempting to make a left turn around 2:10 p.m., Trooper Migdalisis Garcia said in a press release.

The motorcycle entered the direct path of a 2015 Toyota Corolla traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 27 and being driven by a 31-year-old woman of Stone Mountain, Georgia. The front of the Corolla struck the left side of the motorcycle, fatally injuring the motorcycle rider. He was transported to Orlando Health South Lake Hospital- Blue Cedar, where he was pronounced deceased. The driver of the Corolla was not injured.

Man, 18, Struck and Killed on Busy Road Near Clermont

Clermont, Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

FOUR CORNERS, Fla.—A Davenport man was killed while walking in the westbound lanes of U.S. 192 late Monday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Just after 10 p.m. Monday, a 2014 Toyota Camry being driven by a 58-year-old Clermont woman was traveling westbound on U.S. 192 approaching Town Center Boulevard in the outside lane when the Davenport man walked into the westbound lanes, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.

The Camry struck the teen, and he was pronounced deceased on the scene. The Clermont woman was transported to AdventHealth Four Corners ER with minor injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

Saturday Head-On Collision Kills Leesburg Man

Inside Scoop, Leesburg / By Marilyn M. Aciego

MARION COUNTY, Fla.—A head-on collision killed two people on County Road 464 in Marion Saturday afternoon, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

A 71-year-old Ocklawaha woman was driving an SUV northbound on County Road 464 near Locust Road around 1:55 p.m. Saturday when she crossed over into the southbound lane for reasons still under investigation, FHP said in a press release.

The SUV the woman was driving traveled directly into the path of another SUV being driven by a 79-year-old Leesburg man. The woman was pronounced deceased on the scene and the man was transported to an area hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts.

Alachua County Wrong-Way Crash Leaves Umatilla Woman in Critical Condition

Inside Scoop, Umatilla / By Marilyn M. Aciego

ALACHUA COUNTY, Florida—A Umatilla woman suffered critical injuries following a wrong-way crash Friday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The 31-year-old woman was driving a white SUV northbound in the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 301 near County Road 325 shortly before 10 a.m. Friday, when she collided with a tractor-trailer traveling southbound and being driven by a 33-year-old Jacksonville man. Both vehicles swerved to avoid the crash and it caused a T-bone impact, FHP said in a press release.

The woman was airlifted to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville with life-threatening injuries; the tractor-trailer driver was not injured.

FHP Seeking Information on Hit-and-Run Crash that Seriously Injured Sorrento Bicyclist Wednesday Morning

Inside Scoop, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

SORRENTO, Florida—The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a hit-and-run crash involving a bicyclist before daybreak Wednesday.

A 59-year-old man of Sorrento was riding a bicycle with proper lighting eastbound on Wolf Branch Road approaching County Road 437 on the south edge of the road, possibly around 4:45 a.m. Wednesday, when he was struck by an unknown vehicle, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi told Inside Lake.

The vehicle fled the scene and troopers found small debris that may belong to a white vehicle but were unable to determine the make or model of the vehicle. The bicyclist was transported to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford with serious injuries and remains in stable condition, Crescenzi said. There were no known witnesses to the crash and troopers are asking anyone with information to contact Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

Eustis Man Killed in Volusia County Crash, Boy, 5, and Infants Unhurt

Eustis, Inside Scoop / By Marilyn M. Aciego

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Florida—A Eustis man who had two 3-month-old infant boys and a 5-year-old boy in a pickup truck with him was killed Tuesday morning when he crashed into a utility pole attached to a tractor-trailer, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The Eustis man, 34, was driving a 2016 Dodge Ram 1500 eastbound on State Road 44, near Paradise Drive, close to the Lake County/Volusia County line when he attempted to pass a commercial vehicle and a tractor-trailer at the same time, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.

“Due to oncoming traffic in the westbound lane of travel, (the Eustis man) swerved back into the eastbound lane of travel,” Crescenzi said.

The Eustis man failed to slow down or stop for the tractor-trailer ahead of him and the windshield of the Ram struck a utility pole attached to the tractor-trailer and then the Ram rear-ended the tractor-trailer. The Eustis man was pronounced deceased on the scene, and his passengers, two 3-month-old boys and a 5-year-old boy were not injured. All three boys were transported to Halifax Health Medical Center as a precaution, Crescenzi said.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 25-year-old DeLand man, was not injured. The crash remains under investigation.

Multitude of Crashes Keeps Law Enforcement Busy Saturday

Eustis, Inside Scoop, Umatilla, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LAKE COUNTY, Florida—It was a busy Saturday for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Highway Patrol.

Deputies and troopers responded to a multitude of vehicle crashes in the Eustis, Paisley and Umatilla areas Saturday, according to LCSO Lt. Fred Jones. At County Road 42 and Deerhaven Road, a truck flipped and before deputies arrived, the driver fled the scene.

“The bloodhound and helicopter conducted an extensive search. The driver was not located,” Jones told Inside Lake.

The second crash was at County 437, south of State Road 44 in Eustis. The driver left the road, struck an oak tree and suffered severe head trauma. The driver was extracted from the vehicle and airlifted to AdventHealth Ocala; no other information was available at press time.

A third crash, at County Road 450A, just east of Crystal Lane in Umatilla, occurred around 10:45 p.m.

“When deputies arrived, they found the car split into two parts. The driver could not be located. An extensive search was conducted using a bloodhound and helicopter. The driver was eventually located at a friend’s house down the road from the crash,” Jones said in an email.

The 45-year-old Eustis man was driving a 2001 Acura CL Coupe when he crashed and told troopers he walked away from the crash because he did not have his phone, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi told Inside Lake.

The driver was transported by ground to HCA Florida Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford with non-life-threatening injuries, Crescenzi said.

If you have information on any of the crashes, call Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS.

A truck flipped over in Paisley Saturday and the driver fled the scene before deputies arrived. Deputies performed an extensive search by ground and air but the driver was not located. COURTESY PHOTO

Crash Claims Life of Leesburg Motorcyclist

Inside Scoop, Leesburg, Unincorporated Lake / By Marilyn M. Aciego

LEESBURG, Florida—A Leesburg motorcyclist was killed Sunday night after crashing into a tree, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The 60-year-old man was riding 2019 Harley-Davidson Street Glide westbound on Plantation Boulevard approaching Old Plantation Boulevard in unincorporated Leesburg, when he ran off the road and struck a tree around 9 p.m. Sunday, FHP Lt. Tara Crescenzi said in a press release.

He was transported to Orlando Health South Lake Hospital Emergency Room – Blue Cedar in Leesburg, where he was pronounced deceased. He was not wearing a helmet. This was the second fatal motorcycle crash in Lake County Sunday. A 51-year-old man of Enterprise in Volusia County was killed when he attempted to pass a Chevrolet Silverado in unincorporated Umatilla in a no-passing zone Sunday afternoon. He struck the side of the truck, was thrown from the bike and suffered fatal injuries.

Motorcyclist Killed in Umatilla After Attempting to Pass Pickup Truck in No-Passing Zone, Witness Speaks Only to Inside Lake