Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

June 13, 2025

News: 1 dead, 3 injured in Hernando County crash after driver goes through stop sign

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL – A vehicle collision at an intersection in Hernando County left one person dead and three others injured early Sunday morning.

A report by WFTS states that two vehicles crashed at the intersection of Lema Drive and Spring Hill Drive. The Florida Highway Patrol determined that the teenage driver of a Hyundai Santa Fe was heading south on Lema Drive and went through a stop sign. As the Hyundai entered the intersection, it crashed into the side of a Chevy Malibu going east on Spring Hill Drive.

The Malibu then collided with a utility pole and a tree. The Malibu driver, a 36-year-old woman from Spring Hill, died at the scene. The Santa Fe driver, an 18-year-old man from Port Richey, and his two female passengers, ages 17 and 18, were hospitalized with minor injuries.

June 12, 2025

News: Land O’Lakes man, 21, dies in fiery car wreck on U.S. 41 in Spring Hill

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

LAND O’LAKES, FL – A fiery car accident on U.S. 41 in Spring Hill early Wednesday morning left a driver dead, state troopers said.

Pasco News Online reports the fatal crash happened near Goodman Drive just before 3:20 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol stated that the driver of a Tesla Model 3 was going south and was unable to negotiate a curve in the road. The Tesla went off the roadway, collided with a utility pole and a tree, and then caught fire.

The driver, a 21-year-old man from Land O’Lakes, died at the scene. His identity was not immediately released.

June 11, 2025

News: Driver charged with DUI manslaughter in death of e-bike rider in Marion County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – Authorities made an arrest in connection with an alleged drunk driving crash in Marion County that claimed the life of a bicycle rider.

According to the Ocala StarBanner, the incident happened Saturday morning on County Road 25 near Southeast 80th Court shortly before 2 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol determined that a man was riding an electric bike on the westbound shoulder of the roadway. At the same time, the driver of a rented 2025 Chevrolet Malibu was traveling west and hit the bicycle from behind.

The bike rider, a 37-year-old Ocala man, was ejected and suffered fatal injuries. The Chevy driver lost control of the vehicle, which went off the road, struck a utility pole and then a concrete post before overturning.

June 10, 2025

News: Woman sentenced on DUI charge for Gainesville crash that killed bicycle rider

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

GAINESVILLE, FL – Sentencing was handed down for the driver involved in a fatal bicycle collision in Gainesville in 2022, police said.

According to a Facebook post from the Gainesville Police Department, 32-year-old Margaret Caitlin Walker of Gainesville was sentenced to eight years in prison on a charge of DUI Manslaughter.

The crash occurred on the night of Nov. 27, 2022 on South Main Street. Investigators learned that Walker was driving her 2017 Volvo SUV southbound when she struck the victim, a University of Florida graduate student. The impact sent the bicyclist into nearby woods, where he was pronounced dead.

June 9, 2025

News: Wrong-way collision on U.S. 27 in Marion County leaves 1 driver dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – A wrong-way crash between two vehicles in Marion County Thursday morning left one of the drivers dead and the other injured, according to WKMG.

An investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol determined that a man was driving west in the eastbound lanes of U.S. 27 in Ocala at about 12:15 a.m. The vehicle collided head-on with an eastbound SUV near NW 95th Avenue Road.

The driver of the first vehicle, a 27-year-old man from Miami, died at the scene. The other driver, a man from Perry, was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. The FHP said both drivers were wearing their seat belts at the time of the fatal wreck.

June 6, 2025

News: Trenton woman dies after vehicle crashes into golf cart in Williston

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

WILLISTON, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a woman was killed in a golf cart accident in Williston early Wednesday morning, the Gainesville Sun reports.

The fatal crash occurred on Southeast Eighth Avenue near the intersection with Southeast Third Street at about 6:12 a.m. According to the FHP, a woman was riding southbound in a golf cart when she was struck from behind by a vehicle also going south. The impact caused the golf cart to overturn. The woman, a 39-year-old Trenton resident, was ejected from the cart and died at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle, a 48-year-old man, was not injured. State troopers said the collision occurred in a dark area with no street lighting.

June 5, 2025

News: Man fatally struck in pedestrian collision along U.S. 19 in Citrus County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CITRUS COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol responded to a fatal pedestrian accident in Citrus County late Friday night, according to WFTS.

The crash took place on U.S. Highway 19 at about 11:22 p.m. The FHP’s investigation determined that a 64-year-old man from Missouri was trying to cross the highway near Ivy Place when he entered the path of a Chevrolet Traverse going south. The pedestrian was struck by the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Chevy, a 55-year-old man, and his passenger, a 23-year-old woman, were not injured in the incident. Both are Homosassa residents.

June 4, 2025

News: Motorcyclist dies after crashing into back of tractor-trailer in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A motorcycle collision on County Road 476B in Sumter County on Monday left a rider dead, according to a WKMG report.

The Florida Highway Patrol’s preliminary investigation indicates that the driver of a tractor-trailer was heading north shortly after 5 p.m. and was stopped in traffic while waiting to make a turn onto County Road 631. A man was riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle at a high rate of speed and was not able to stop in time before colliding with the back of the truck.

The motorcyclist, a 22-year-old Dade City man, died at the scene. The tractor-trailer was driven by a 67-year-old man from Bushnell.

June 3, 2025

News: Minivan driver killed in rollover accident on US-441 in Ocala

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

OCALA, FL – The Ocala Police Department responded to a fatal crash in the 1700 block of U.S. 441 early Sunday morning, according to the department’s Facebook post.

A traffic homicide investigator arrived at the scene at about 2:43 a.m. It was determined that the driver of a Mazda minivan was heading north while reportedly driving recklessly at a high rate of speed. The Mazda went off the roadway, hit a concrete culvert and went airborne. The vehicle then overturned before colliding with a palm tree and a concrete wall.

The driver was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. The victim’s identity was not immediately released.

June 2, 2025

News: Woman killed when SUV slams into sign, tree off County Road 450

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

UMATILLA, FL – Authorities said a single-vehicle wreck in Lake County on Saturday night claimed the life of a driver.

According to WKMG, the fatal accident took place in the vicinity of County Road 450 and County Road 42 near Umatilla.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the driver of an SUV was heading north on County Road 450 at about 10:30 p.m., failed to stop at a stop sign and proceeded through the intersection. The vehicle went off the roadway and onto the grass shoulder, then hit a warning sign and a tree.