A Dunnellon man died Sunday evening in a three-car crash in Citrus County.
Matthew Canning, 29, of Inverness was driving a 2000 Jeep Cherokee northbound in U.S. 19 in the inside lane south of West Arber Court, while 45-year-old Albert Funari Jr. of Dunnellon was driving a 2004 Nissan Xterra northbound on U.S. 19 in the outside lane and 56-year-old Pamela Wikberg of Gulfport was driving a 2012 Nissan Altima southbound on U.S. 19 in the outside lane, according to a Florida Highway Patrol accident report. Canning made a lane change and collided with the driver’s side of Funari’s vehicle, causing Funari to redirect to a right turn lane before he over corrected and began to rotate, the report stated. Funari then traveled across the northbound lanes, into the southbound lanes, and into the path of Wikberg’s vehicle. The front of Wikberg’s vehicle collided with the passenger side of Funari’s vehicle, causing it to overturn and eject Funari, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
Funari died at the scene of the accident. Pamela Wikberg and her passenger, 62-year-old Tony Wikberg of Gulfport, were critically injured and transported to Bayonet Point Hospital. Charges are pending.