SUMTER COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – UPDATE: The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) says a gnarly wreck on SR 44 on Wednesday was caused by a man driving a stolen truck.
FHP says troopers observed a stolen 2017 Ford F250 driving recklessly and at high speed northbound on I-75. They say when the trooper tried to pull over the driver, the driver didn’t stop and exited onto westbound SR 44. FHP says the driver then turned around, heading eastbound and collided with a westbound tractor trailer turning left into the Pilot Travel Center.
Both vehicles ended up in the Pilot parking lot.
FHP says the driver of the stolen pickup is a 20-year-old Gainesville man who suffered serious injuries and was taken to an area hospital.
The driver of the tractor trailer, a 57-year-old Dade City man, was also transported to an area hospital with minor injuries.
ORIGINAL 10/4: A bad wreck shut down eastbound SR 44 near I-75 this morning, Wednesday, Oct. 4 in Wildwood for hours while emergency crews responded.
As of 8 a.m., a post on the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) Facebook page indicated one lane of traffic is moving. They urged drivers to use caution, since law enforcement was still in the area investigating the crash scene.
The Florida Highway Patrol’s (FHP) live traffic crash and road condition report website indicates crews were dispatched just after 4 a.m. The early report suggests the wreck was possibly fatal.
You can see some of the emergency response from Florida 511’s live traffic cameras online.