Couple struck in Lake County hit-and-run crash; 1 dead, 1 sent to hospital

FHP believes the suspect was driving a Jeep Cherokee

LADY LAKE, Fla. – The Florida Highway Patrol is looking for a vehicle that hit two people in the Lady Lake area Sunday night and drove off.

One person is dead, the other is in the hospital.

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Troopers said the incident happened Sunday before 10 p.m. at Rolling Acres Road and West Lakeview Street, west of U.S. 441.

They said the victims were walking on the grass shoulder of Rolling Acres Road when an unknown vehicle went off the road and hit them.

Investigators released the 911 call placed by a passerby after the crash. Due to the graphic nature of the call, News 6 has decided not to share the recording.

“I was driving down the road, and the guy came out of the dark waving me down,” the caller to 911 said. “He said he was hit by a car. (I) got him laying down on the side of the road right now.”

According to the call, the man said he was with his wife when they were hit. Troopers told News 6 the two were a couple walking together along Rolling Acres Road.

“He’s got pretty severe bleeding,” the caller said to emergency dispatchers.

One victim — later identified as Jamie Weinz — died at the scene while the other was flown to Ocala Regional Medical Center with serious injuries, according to the FHP report.

“It’s just terribly sad to the family that lost a loved one,” said nearby resident Lori Aldridge. “And to not stop and take responsibility for your actions is terribly sad.”

Aldridge lives on a corner close to the crash scene.

“I have a sidewalk, but I would not go beyond that because it’s open wilderness,” she said. “It’s grassy. It slides off. There’s no lighting there.”

Aldridge said she sees people speed in the area all the time.

“They’re punching it, and there’s a hill just down the way, too, so when you drop down, you don’t have, you know, you can’t see that far,” she said.

The report also shows car parts were found in the area of the collision, leading troopers to believe they are looking for a Jeep Cherokee, made between 2014 and 2018. They believe the vehicle is missing the passenger side mirror and may have front right headlight damage.

If you have any information you are asked to call FHP at 407-737-2213.

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About the Authors:

Christie joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021.

Catherine, born and raised in Central Florida, joined News 6 in April 2022.

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