Tragedy struck early New Year's Day when a Clermont teen was killed in a vehicular accident. A 17-year-old boy died after his pick-up truck struck a tree in Lake County, according to officials. The Florida Highway Patrol reported that the crash occurred around 1:20 a.m. on County Road 474 near Hilochee Ridge Road. The teenager was driving a 2003 Chevy S-10 eastbound when, for reasons still to be determined, he veered off the roadway and collided with the tree, ClickOrlando reported.
The FHP has yet to fully understand why the young driver exited the road and is continuing to investigate the circumstances that led to the fatal incident. The teen, whose identity has yet to be released, was from Clermont and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to a WESH report. The reports also indicated that the teen was not wearing a seat belt during the accident.
Details about the crash and its contributing factors have yet to be released as the investigation continues.
