Update 11:54 a.m.: The southbound lanes have been reopened. The on-ramp from U.S. Highway 27 to Florida’s Turnpike remains closed.
HOWEY-IN-THE-HILLS, Florida—A fatal crash has shut down the southbound lanes of Florida’s Turnpike at mile marker 285 in the Howey-in-the Hills area, according to Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Tara Crescenzi.
Shortly before 3 a.m. Friday, a 2018 Kia Sorrento rear-ended a 2003 Buick Century, killing the woman driving the Buick. The woman had not been identified at press time. The driver of the Kia, a 39-year-old Orlando man, was transported to South Lake Hospital in Clermont with serious injuries. He is in stable condition.
“We currently only have preliminary information as our traffic homicide investigators are on scene investigating this fatal collision,” Crescenzi said in an email.
OSCEOLA COUNTY, Florida—A Leesburg man is being held in the Osceola County Jail on no bond, accused of shooting a truck that contained a 5-year-old child in a road rage incident on Florida’s Turnpike Sunday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Tara Crescenzi.
A trooper was conducting traffic enforcement in the median of Florida’s Turnpike near Kenansville shortly before 6:30 p.m. Sunday when he observed a white sedan driving recklessly and changing lanes around a white pickup truck in the northbound lanes.
The trooper made his way into traffic and watched the white car continue to improperly change lanes at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour until it was caught in traffic, according to an incident report. FHP pulled the car over and ordered the occupants to exit the vehicle. The driver, Zion Zaire Vincent Waller, 22, and his passenger, a 22-year-old woman from Minneola, exited the vehicle and Waller was immediately placed under arrest for reckless driving. His passenger was detained and placed in a patrol vehicle; Inside Lake is not naming the Minneola woman because she was not charged with a crime. Troopers began to inventory the vehicle before it was towed and discovered a Premier Firearms 556 rifle and a Glock 45 handgun in plain view, the report states.
Zion Waller is seen here in his January 2023 Lake County Jail mugshot. Waller was arrested in Lake County in January for domestic battery by strangulation and two counts of child abuse. The charges were dropped just two days before the road rage incident.
As they inventoried the car, a white pickup truck pulled up to the scene and the driver told troopers his truck had been shot by Waller and pointed to a bullet hole on the left side of the truck between the driver’s door and the passenger door. The driver said the white sedan had been driving erratically around the truck before shooting at it, while it contained him, another adult and a 5-year-old child, according to the report.
FHP questioned Waller, who said he was involved in a road rage incident with the truck several miles south and the driver of the truck pointed what appeared to be a weapon at him. Waller told troopers he feared for his life and shot one round at the truck and sped up to get away. Waller said he did not call 9-1-1 because he did not “feel safe” pulling over, the report states. His passenger, the Minneola woman, told troopers Waller shot at the truck, attempting to shoot at the tires.
A bullet hole in a truck is seen here following a road rage incident involving a Leesburg man Sunday. PHOTO: Florida Highway Patrol
The driver of the truck consented to a search and no weapons were found in the vehicle.
Waller was arrested for three counts of attempted murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, shooting into an occupied vehicle, carrying a concealed firearm and reckless driving. He was transported to the Osceola County Jail, where he is being held on no bond. The occupants of the truck were not injured.
Waller was arrested in Lake County in January for domestic battery by strangulation and two counts of child abuse. The charges were dropped just two days before the road rage incident.
SUMTER COUNTY, Florida—The Florida Highway Patrol has identified a pedestrian killed on County Road 470 Saturday night.
Troopers were unable to identify the man following the crash and released a photo of his tattoo Sunday. He has now been identified as a 25-year-old Bushnell man, according to FHP Sgt. Steve Gaskins.
A 42-year-old Bartow woman was driving an SUV westbound on County Road 470, west of County Road 533, around 11:30 p.m. Saturday when the man walked into the path of the SUV, Gaskins said in a press release.
The man was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. The Bartow woman and her passenger, a 42-year-old Haines City man, were not injured.
SUMTER COUNTY, Florida—The Florida Highway Patrol is seeking assistance in identifying a male who was killed on County Road 470 in Sumter County Saturday night.
A 42-year-old Bartow woman was driving an SUV westbound on County Road 470, west of County Road 533, around 11:30 p.m. Saturday when a male walked into the path of the SUV, FHP Sgt. Steve Gaskins said in a press release.
The Florida Highway Patrol is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a male pedestrian killed in Sumter County Saturday night. They released a photo of a tattoo the male had. If you have information on the male’s identity, call troopers at *FHP (347) or 813-558-1800, option 3.
The male was struck by the SUV transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. The Bartow woman and her passenger, a 42-yeqar-old Haines City man, were not injured. FHP has been unable to identify the pedestrian and released a photo of a tattoo he had.
If you have information on the male’s identity, call troopers at *FHP (347) or 813-558-1800, option 3.
Update:It was later determined the incident occurred in the city limits of Apopka and Apopka Police Department took over the investigation.
ORANGE COUNTY, Florida—The southbound lanes of State Road 429 near Plymouth-Sorrento Road are shut down while the Florida Highway Patrol investigates a pedestrian fatality, FHP. Lt. Channing Taylor said.
Just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, the pedestrian was struck by at least one vehicle and possibly multiple vehicles, Taylor said. The pedestrian was pronounced deceased on the scene. No other information was available.
ALTOONA, Florida—The teenage boy tragically killed Thursday afternoon on State Road 19 has been identified on social media by his family.
Dylan Kelley, 13, was riding his bicycle southbound on the paved shoulder of State Road 19 when he veered into the path of a Ford F-250 for an unknown reason near Shockley Trail Road and his home in Altoona, shortly after 5 p.m. He was pronounced deceased on the scene, Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Channing Taylor said Thursday.
Dylan, described as outgoing and loving, always took care of his family, a post on a gofundme account states. Dylan’s family set up the account Friday morning to assist with Dylan’s funeral expenses.
ALTOONA, Florida—A 13-year-old Altoona boy was killed Thursday afternoon when the bicycle he was riding veered into the path of a truck, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The boy was riding his bicycle southbound on the paved shoulder of State Road 19 when he veered into the path of a white Ford F-250 also traveling southbound on State Road 19 at 5:10 p.m. near Shockley Trail Road, FHP Lt. Channing Taylor said in a press release.
The teen was pronounced deceased on the scene. The 33-year-old Oxford man driving the truck was not injured and remained on scene, Taylor said. The crash closed State Road 19 for several hours.
ALTOONA, Florida–The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatality that occurred Thursday afternoon.
The crash killed a bicyclist, possibly a juvenile, just before 5: 15 p.m. Thursday, FHP Lt. Channing Taylor said. State Road 19 is shut down at Shockley Trail Road.
CLERMONT, Florida—A Miami Beach man was killed when the SUV he was driving crashed head-on into an RV early Sunday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The 35-year-old man was driving a grey Mitsubishi SUV westbound on County Road 474 when he made a wide right turn on State Road 33, and crossed the center line, striking an RV head-on in unincorporated Clermont just after 3 a.m. Sunday, FHP Lt. Channing Taylor said in a press release.
The Miami Beach man was pronounced dead on the scene by Lake County Fire Rescue, Taylor said. The driver of the RV, a 51-year-old man, and his passengers, a 54-year-old man, and a 48-year-old woman, all of Auburndale, suffered minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
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.
