Sumter County

April 13, 2023

News: Woman fatally struck by her own SUV on street in the Villages

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a woman died following an accident involving her vehicle in Sumter County Saturday afternoon.

According to WTSP, the incident happened on Fringe Tree Trail near Knotty Pine Terrace in the Villages shortly before 4 p.m. The FHP said a 62-year-old woman driving a sport utility vehicle had backed out of a driveway and crashed into a vehicle that was parked on the opposite road of the road.

The woman then pulled back into the driveway to check on the damage and got out of her SUV but reportedly did not shift the vehicle into park, according to state troopers. The SUV ran over the woman and she was killed. The victim’s identity was not immediately released.

February 23, 2023

News: Motorcyclist dies after being rear-ended on State Road 44

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A collision in Sumter County Wednesday morning claimed the life of a motorcycle rider, reports WKMG.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the 65-year-old motorcyclist was riding west on State Road 44 near County Road 44A when the accident happened at about 5:50 a.m. According to the FHP, a 44-year-old man from the Villages was riding behind the motorcycle when he rear-ended the bike.

The motorcyclist, a resident of Bushnell, was pronounced dead at the scene.

February 16, 2023

News: Spring Hill woman killed when freight train crashes into car

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A railroad accident along the tracks in Sumter County early Tuesday morning left a woman dead, WKMG reported.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the accident happened on County Road 475 at County Road 470 near Lake Panasoffkee at about 2:30 a.m.

State troopers said a Chrysler 200 was parked on the railroad tracks adjacent to County Road 475 with its lights off. A CSX freight train going south was not able to stop in time and crashed into the car.

December 23, 2022

News: Man and boy from Ocala killed in crash on Florida Turnpike

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A collision on the Florida Turnpike early Thursday morning left two people dead, an adult and a child.

The accident happened near mile marker 304 in Sumter County, according to a report by WKMG.

The Florida Highway Patrol said two vehicles, a sedan and a sport utility vehicle, were heading northbound on the turnpike shortly before 1 a.m. when the driver of the sedan tried to overtake the SUV.

October 12, 2022

News: Bicyclist dies after being hit by 2 vehicles on State Road 471

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A bicyclist died after being struck by two vehicles in Sumter County Sunday night, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The accident happened on State Road 471 near Tarrytown, according to the Leesburg-News. The FHP said the bicyclist, a male, was riding south at about 9 p.m. when he was hit by a southbound Chevy Trailblazer. The victim was knocked off the bicycle and struck again, by a Chevy Malibu. The bicycle rider suffered fatal injuries.

The driver of the Trailblazer, an 84-year-old Zephyrhills man, told investigators he did not see the bicyclist prior to the collision. The Malibu was driven by a 49-year-old woman from Leesburg.

September 30, 2022

News: Driver killed in crash after leaving Sumter County gas station

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A car accident at an intersection in Sumter County Tuesday morning claimed the life of a driver, reports the Villages-News.

The Florida Highway Patrol issued a report on the crash that happened in the area of County Road 476 and County Road 647 just east of Nobleton. According to the FHP, a woman driving a sedan was leaving the parking lot of a Circle K/Shell gas station at about 8:10 a.m. when she entered the path of a pickup truck approaching the exit of the gas station. The front of the pickup then collided with the car, which overturned as a result of the collision.

The sedan driver, a 38-year-old resident of Bushnell, was taken to an area hospital where she died of her injuries.

September 23, 2022

News: Man killed when motorcycle collides with pickup in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a motorcycle and a pickup truck were involved in a fatal collision in Sumter County on Tuesday night.

WKMG reports the accident took place in the area of County Road 466 and County Road 223 at about 8:30 p.m. According to the FHP, the driver of a pickup truck going west on County Road 466 made a left turn and entered the path of a motorcycle, causing the motorcycle to strike the front right side of the pickup.

The motorcycle rider was pronounced dead after being transported to an area hospital. Troopers said the victim was a 44-year-old man from Wildwood. The driver of the pickup truck, a 42-year-old Wildwood man, sustained minor injuries.

September 21, 2022

News: Man hospitalized after vehicle collides with palm tree in The Villages

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A car accident in The Villages Sunday evening sent a driver to the hospital, according to the Villages-News.

The incident occurred on Buena Vista Boulevard near Bonita Boulevard in Sumter County at about 5:45 p.m. The Sumter County Sheriff’s Ofice said a man was driving south when his vehicle entered the median and crashed into a palm tree.

The driver was taken to UF Health-The Villages Hospital with minor injuries, and was then given a ticket for careless driving.

September 5, 2022

News: Man found guilty of causing crash that killed Citrus County woman

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A man was convicted last week in connection with a fatal accident in Sumter County, according to the Citrus County Chronicle.

33-year-old Anthony Nepoleon Brown of Wildwood was found guilty of several charges in connection with the August 22, 2017 incident that led to the death of 55-year-old Laura Lee Price of Inverness.

Authorities said Brown was driving a BMW 550i as he attempted to flee from Wildwood Police and Sumter County deputies. He went through a stop sign in the area of State Road 44 and Sumter County Road 219 and crashed into a Honda CRV driven by Price. The BMW then sideswiped a Chevy pickup truck and hit a Mack semi-trailer truck.

August 23, 2022

News: Driver hospitalized after pickup hits tree, fence in Sumter County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

SUMTER COUNTY, FL – A pickup truck accident in Sumter County Saturday morning left a driver hospitalized.

According to a report in the Villages-News, the accident happened near the intersection of County Road 319 and County Road 326 at about 10:35 a.m. The driver of a Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck drove off the roadway, crashed into a tree and then hit a fence, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

The driver, a 73-year-old man from Bushnell, was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center. No information was released on the extent of his injuries.