A 28-year-old Ocala man is dead after his car slammed into a utility pole on Southwest 140th Avenue early Monday morning, splitting a wooden pole in half and leaving debris scattered across the roadway. Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the driver was thrown from his vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
According to wcjb.com, the man was traveling northbound on Southwest 140th Avenue at around 2:30 a.m. when he lost control of his vehicle. Troopers said he drove off the roadway before crashing into the pole and being ejected from the car. He was the sole occupant of the vehicle, according to the Miami Herald, which reported the crash happened near the intersection of Southwest 140th Avenue and Southwest 20th Place, about one mile north of West State Road 40, in west Marion County.
The Herald's report, credited to reporting from the Ocala Star-Banner, describes the man driving a Honda Civic that veered right onto an incline off the roadway before striking a wooden utility pole and then a concrete one. The wooden pole snapped in two, while the concrete pole remained standing. The Civic was destroyed on impact, with parts of the car scattered throughout the area, and the vehicle came to rest at the bottom of the two-lane roadway.
Neighbor Heard the Crash, Called for Help
Per the same account, a neighbor heard a loud noise and notified troopers about the crash, which dispatch records indicate came in at 2:32 a.m. Florida Highway Patrol responded to investigate, and Marion County Sheriff's deputies blocked the roadway, which the report says allowed troopers and utility workers to carry out their work at the scene.
Troopers believe speed was a factor in the crash, per the Star-Banner's reporting, though the exact cause remains under investigation. Wcjb.com similarly reported that FHP is still investigating what led to the crash.
Utility Crews Respond to Damaged Poles
SECO Energy was called to the scene and planned to replace the snapped wooden utility pole, according to the same reporting. Utility workers also checked for additional damage in the area; per SECO workers, no homes were affected by a power outage as a result of the crash.
The man's identity has not been released in either report reviewed. Florida Highway Patrol's investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
