Marion County

August 19, 2025

News: Woman facing DUI charge following fatal wreck on SR 35 in Marion County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A car accident involving an alleged drunk in Marion County killed a passenger in the vehicle, reports WKMG.

The Florida Highway Patrol was dispatched to the fatal wreck early Saturday morning along State Road 35 near SE 102 Place Road in Belleview. The FHP’s preliminary investigation indicated that the driver of a sedan failed to negotiate a curve in the roadway while heading south on S.R. 35 at about 2:30 a.m.

The car went off the road and onto the grass shoulder before crashing into a wooden fence and a large tree.

July 24, 2025

News: Search underway for driver involved in fatal Marion County hit-and-run

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – Authorities are trying to track down the driver involved in a fatal hit-and-run incident that occurred in Marion County late Wednesday night.

WKMG reports the pedestrian crash took place along County Road 464 near Bahia Road. The Florida Highway Patrol stated a man was walking in the westbound lane at about 11:25 p.m. when he was hit by the front of a westbound vehicle.

The victim, a 66-year-old Ocala man, was found dead in the right turn lane of C.R. 464. The driver left the scene without stopping to report the collision, state troopers said. The area where it happened was dark and did not have street lighting.

July 14, 2025

News: Accident involving semi-truck shuts down Interstate 75 north in Marion County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – An accident involving a semi-truck shut down a portion of Interstate 75 in Marion County on Friday morning, causing major traffic delays.

A report by WKMG stated that the semi was hauling a large excavator on a flatbed trailer at about 10 a.m. when it struck the Southwest 66th Street bridge overpass. Northbound lanes were blocked on I-75 at County Road 484 as the bridge was shut down for repairs.

The driver of the truck, a 71-year-old man from Ocala, was not injured in the incident. All lanes of Interstate 75 were reopened later in the day.

July 8, 2025

News: Motorcyclist dies after being struck from behind by car on County Road 25

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – A two-vehicle collision in Marion County early Monday morning left one person dead and another hospitalized.

According to a WKMG report, the incident took place along County Road 25 in Belleview shortly before 3 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol’s investigation determined that a motorcycle rider was heading east on County Road 25 when his bike was struck from behind by a sedan. Both vehicles went off the road near Southeast 108th Terrace Road.

The motorcyclist, a 47-year-old man from Belleview, died at the scene. The driver of the sedan, a 21-year-old Ocklawaha man, was taken to an area hospital for treatment, but no details were immediately released on his condition.

June 30, 2025

News: Citra man killed when motorcycle collides with vehicle making turn in Fort McCoy

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

FORT MCCOY, FL – State troopers responded to an intersection in Marion County Friday afternoon after a car and a motorcycle were involved in a deadly collision.

According to the Ocala StarBanner, the crash occurred in the area of Northeast 225th Street and County Road 315 in Fort McCoy. Traffic homicide investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol learned that the driver of a Toyota Camry was heading north on CR-315 at about 6:10 p.m. and tried to make a left turn onto 225th Street.

The Toyota entered the path of a Suzuki motorcycle going southbound on CR-315, resulting in a collision. The motorcyclist, a 27-year-old man from Citra, was ejected onto the grassy shoulder of the road and suffered fatal injuries.

June 23, 2025

News: Driver, 81, dies in 2-vehicle collision on State Road 40 in Marion County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a fatal collision that took place in Marion County on Saturday morning, the Ocala StarBanner reported.

State troopers and Marion County Fire Rescue crews were dispatched to the wreck on State Road 40 near County Road 328 shortly before 9 a.m. An investigation determined that the driver of a Honda Civic was attempting to make a turn from Southwest 113th Circle onto SR-40, crossing the westbound lanes, when the Civic was struck by a westbound Ford F-450 pickup truck hauling a trailer. Both vehicles came to rest at the grassy median.

The Honda driver, an 81-year-old Ocala man, was pronounced dead at the scene. The pickup truck driver, a 46-year-old man, was not injured and stayed at the scene.

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 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.

May 28, 2025

News: Man charged with DUI manslaughter in collision that killed Ocala woman

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – Authorities have announced an arrest in connection with a fatal accident that took place Feb. 1, 2025, in Marion County, WKMG reports.

The incident occurred in the area of County Road 484 and San Pedro Boulevard at about 7 a.m. The Florida Highway Patrol states the driver of a Kia Sorento SUV was heading east on C.R. 484, failed to maintain his lane, crossed over the double yellow painted line, and collided with a westbound Kia Forte sedan head-on.

The driver of the Forte, a 50-year-old woman from Ocala, died after being taken to an area hospital. The Sorento driver, identified as 21-year-old James Carter, was seriously injured. The FHP said that while Carter was at the hospital, he “spontaneously” admitted drinking alcohol beverages before getting behind the wheel, and added that his driver’s license was suspended.

May 15, 2025

News: Man, 22, killed when motorcycle collides with SUV on County Road 475

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

MARION COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a collision in Marion County on Wednesday left a motorcycle rider dead, the Ocala StarBanner reported.

The motorcyclist collided with an SUV on County Road 475 near County Road 484 at about 5:10 p.m. The FHP’s investigation indicates that driver of a Subaru Ascent SUV was going south on CR 475 and tried to make a left turn into a private driveway. The vehicle entered the path of a Honda motorcycle that was going north on CR 475, and the bike struck the right rear side of the SUV.

The motorcyclist, a 22-year-old Summerfield man, was ejected from the bike and died at the scene. The SUV driver, a 19-year-old man from Ocala, and his 13-year-old passenger were not injured.