Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog

April 21, 2025

News: Collision on U.S. 441 in Summerfield leaves pedestrian dead, driver injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMMERFIELD, FL – One man was killed and another injured in a pedestrian collision in Marion County on Friday afternoon, reports the Ocala StarBanner.

The Florida Highway Patrol and Marion County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the crash in the 15200 block of U.S. 441 south in Summerfield at 1:19 p.m.

The FHP’s investigation indicated that a man was walking south on U.S. 441 while pushing a shopping cart near the right side of the highway’s white line. At the same time, the driver of a Chevrolet Silverado hauling a trailer was heading southbound. The pedestrian was struck by the front of the pickup truck, and the impact knocked him into the grassy shoulder on the west side of the road.

April 18, 2025

News: Man, 25, killed when motorcycle crashes into curb in Clermont

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CLERMONT, FL – A crash claimed the life of a motorcyclist and disrupted traffic in a portion of Clermont on Friday morning.

According to WKMG, the incident occurred on Hammock Ridge Road near Lake Louisa Road. The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation found that a motorcycle rider was going south on Hammock Ridge Road at about 6:43 a.m. and failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway.

The motorcycle went off the road and struck a curb, and the rider was ejected from the bike. The motorcyclist, a 25-year-old man from Ocoee, died at the scene.

April 17, 2025

News: Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy struck by motorcyclist on US-19

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – A Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy was struck and injured by a motorcyclist while attempting a traffic stop last week, according to a WFTS report.

The incident took place April 11 in the area of U.S. 19 and Beach Boulevard in Hudson at about 2 p.m. The sheriff’s office said the deputy approached a man driving a black motorcycle to conduct the stop, but the motorcycle rider drove towards the deputy, struck him, and dragged him about ten feet.

The deputy suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. A search is now underway for the motorcycle rider, who was reported to have been driving a Suzuki SC650 while wearing a full-face helmet, a tan shirt, black shorts, and back-top sneakers.

April 16, 2025

News: Inverness man dead after car collides with pole, fence off State Road 44

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol investigated a fatal car crash that occurred in Sumter County early Wednesday morning, reports WKMG.

The FHP learned that the driver of a Kia Forte was going west on State Road 44 in Wildwood shortly before 5 a.m. when he failed to negotiate a curve near County Road 475.

The car then went off the roadway, and struck a utility pole and a barbed wire fence. The motorist, a 30-year-old man from Inverness, was pronounced dead at the scene. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to state troopers.

April 15, 2025

News: Driver dies after vehicle collides with vacant home in Spring Hill

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SPRING HILL, FL – A driver was killed Sunday night when his car was involved in a wreck in Hernando County, according to the Hernando Sun.

The incident occurred on Deltona Boulevard near Regatta Circle at about 8:10 p.m. The Florida Highway Patrol said a man was behind the wheel of a Nissan Altima and was going north at high speed on Deltona Boulevard.

He was unable to negotiate a curve in the roadway in the vicinity of Regatta Circle and the car went off the road, crashing into a vacant home. The driver, a 22-year-old man from Spring Hill, was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital.

April 14, 2025

News: Woman, 28, killed when car crashes into tree off Interstate 75

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly car accident that occurred in Pasco County early Sunday morning, reports Pasco News Online.

A man was driving a Toyota Camry south on Interstate 75 when the crash happened at about 1:50 a.m. The FHP states that he overtook another vehicle south of the exit for State Road 52 and was trying to avoid a collision.

The Camry driver lost control of the car, which rotated off the highway, went onto the shoulder of the interstate, and crashed into a tree. A passenger in the vehicle, a 28-year-old Tampa woman, was killed in the wreck. No details were released on the condition of the driver, a 30-year-old Tampa man.

April 11, 2025

News: Hurricane Milton caused damage of over $34 billion, new report finds

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

The National Hurricane Center has released a new report on the damage caused by Hurricane Milton last October, according to WPTV.

The analysis concluded that Milton, one of the strongest hurricanes on record in the Atlantic basin, caused 15 deaths, 12 in Florida and three in Mexico. Six people died in a tornado near Fort Pierce and Vero Beach. Four people were killed by falling trees and two deaths were due to freshwater flooding.

The storm had an estimated economic cost of over $34 billion, almost all of it in Florida.

April 10, 2025

News: Man accused of leaving scene of crash after pursuit in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Sumter County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a man who allegedly left the scene of a crash last week.

The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Tayvone Johnson, was accused of fleeing on foot after the accident April 2 near the Florida National Cemetery. The crash occurred during a pursuit by law enforcement authorities.

Sumter County Sheriff’s deputies joined the Florida Highway Patrol in the search for Johnson in the area of Interstate 75 and County Road 476B. He was eventually arrested after being located in the area of County Road 673. Three other suspects were previously taken into custody.

April 9, 2025

News: Head-on collision in Clermont leaves 1 driver dead, 1 injured

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

CLERMONT, FL – A collision between two vehicles in Lake County left one of the drivers dead and the other injured, WKMG reported.

The vehicles, a Mercedes GLA Class and a Ford F-150, crashed on Schofield Road near Five Mile Road in Clermont on Tuesday.

The Florida Highway Patrol determined that the Mercedes driver was going west at about 5:35 p.m. when she veered into the eastbound lanes for unknown reasons. The Mercedes then collided head-on with the Ford as that vehicle was going east.

April 8, 2025

News: Dade City man killed after vehicle crashes on I-275 entrance ramp

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

PASCO COUNTY, FL – State troopers are investigating the cause of a fatal wreck that occurred in Pasco County on Friday evening, Pasco News Online reported.

One person was killed in the incident, a 42-year-old man from Dade City. The Florida Highway Patrol said he was driving a Toyota Tacoma pickup truck northbound on the Interstate 275 entrance to Interstate 75 when he lost control of the vehicle.

The pickup went across the gore and overturned, before ending up in the northbound travel lanes of I-75. The driver was ejected from the Tacoma and was pronounced dead after being taken to an area hospital.