3 die, 1 hurt in ‘nearly head-on’ crash in Sumter County, troopers say

Crash occurred on SR-471, south of South Grade Road

3 die, 1 hurt in ‘nearly head-on’ crash in Sumter County, troopers say (Florida Highway Patrol)

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. – Both drivers and a passenger involved in a “nearly head-on” crash Saturday morning in Sumter County have died, and a fourth person — another passenger — is now hospitalized with serious injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred around 3:56 a.m. on State Road 471, south of South Grade Road, troopers said.

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According to a crash report, a 42-year-old Winter Haven man driving a sedan southbound entered the northbound lane for an unknown reason, striking an oncoming car with three occupants inside. Both vehicles rotated and came to final rest on opposing shoulders.

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The Winter Haven man died at the scene, as did the 42-year-old woman who drove the other car northbound, the report states.

The woman’s two passengers — a 54-year-old woman and a 47-year-old man, with all three of the car’s occupants described as being from Lima, Ohio — were taken to area hospitals, troopers said. The 54-year-old woman was later pronounced dead, according to FHP.

All lanes were blocked on SR-471 in the area of the crash until around 11:30 a.m.

No other information was shared.

Note: Due to the information provided, this map depicts the general area of this crash and not necessarily its exact location.


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About the Author

Brandon, a UCF grad, joined the ClickOrlando team in November 2021. Before joining News 6, Brandon worked at WDBO.

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