One man was killed when his pickup truck struck a fence and a tree in the woods Thursday night off Interstate 75 in Ocala. Here’s what we know:
Where? The crash happened near mile marker 355, approximately 1 1/2 miles north of the U.S. 27 (Northwest Blitchton Road) exit.
What time? Marion County Fire Rescue spokesman James Lucas said his agency was assigned the call at 6:21 p.m. and arrived at 6:32 p.m. The victim was pronounced deceased at 6:35 p.m.
Extra duty: Firefighters on scene said the front of the vehicle was on fire when they got to the location. The fire was under control in a couple of minutes, fire officials said. Firefighters were worried about a nearby wooden utility pole with live wires hanging overhead. Several firefighters entered the woodline with a hose and doused the area with water.
What happened? Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the Ford F-150 pickup truck was southbound in the outside lane and negotiating a left curve. For an unknown reason, the vehicle veered off the road and went down the grassy embankment.
The truck struck a fence and entered the thick brush, where it hit at least one tree. The vehicle caught fire and the driver was trapped.
About the victim and the scene: Troopers identified the victim as a 27-year-old man from Ocala. Troopers said there were no skid marks, and they found travel marks in the grass. Officials said they were told the man was on his way home from work.
The crash investigation continues, authorities said.
I-75 mess:Out-of-control semi causes another deadly I-75 crash
Other traffic deaths: Troopers said Thursday’s traffic fatality was the third in Marion County in 11 days. In 2023, FHP investigated 91 traffic deaths, compared to 99 in 2022. These numbers do not include figures from the cities of Ocala, Belleview or Dunnellon.
Contact Austin L. Miller at [email protected]
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