A 23-year-old Lake City man died early Thursday after his sedan ran off County Road 18A south of Lake Butler, went airborne and ejected him from the vehicle. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene, troopers said. The crash was reported just after midnight on a rural stretch of Union County roadway.
Troopers: Car Hit Shoulder, Launched Over Roadway
According to a Florida Highway Patrol release reported by News4JAX, the driver was heading north on County Road 18A at about 12:10 a.m. when his 2006 Nissan ran off the roadway to the right and onto the grass shoulder. Troopers say the vehicle struck the edge of SW 63rd Street, which sent the car airborne over the roadway before it landed on the opposite shoulder and the driver was ejected.
Unrestrained Driver In A Single-Vehicle Crash
Local reporting on the Florida Highway Patrol release indicates the driver was not wearing a seat belt and that no other vehicles were involved, and emergency crews pronounced him dead at the scene. That sequence of events, leaving the road, striking the road edge, becoming airborne and ejecting the driver, comes from the troopers' initial release, per Mainstreet Daily News.
Rural Roads And Why Belts Matter
Florida's seat-belt usage rate was about 90% in 2024, according to NHTSA's statewide survey, but crash research shows seat-belt use is lower in rural areas and single-vehicle crashes make up a large share of rural fatalities. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety notes that single-vehicle crashes accounted for more than half of rural crash deaths and that lower belt use and higher speeds on rural roads increase the risk of ejection and fatal injury.
How To Get The Official Crash Report
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles says crash reports can be purchased through the state's Crash Portal and that reports may take several days to appear while troopers complete their investigations. The agency's traffic crash reports page explains the Florida Crash Portal process, common fees and where to direct media or public records questions, and troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol are handling the active investigation.
