A two vehicle crash involving six people from Fort White shut down U.S. Hwy. 27 in Columbia County on Saturday afternoon.
The incident occurred shortly before 3:30 p.m. when a 1999 Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by 63-year-old Dana Sandlin slowed almost to a complete stop to make a left turn onto SW Bellows Way. A few seconds later, a 2003 Chevy Tahoe driven by 33-year-old Ryan Pope collided with the back of Sandlin’s pickup. Sandlin said he had his turn signal activated but Pope failed to see that he was attempting to make a left turn, a Florida Highway Patrol report states.
The impact of the crash sent Sandlin’s vehicle north onto the grassy shoulder of the highway. Pope’s SUV spun around and stopped in the southbound lane of U.S. Hwy. 27, causing a blockage that forced the closure of the roadway for about an hour.
Two passengers in Sandlin’s pickup, 16-year-old Merritt Thomas and 11-year-old Robert McCurry, were transported to UF Health Shands in Gainesville with minor injuries. Sandlin and another passenger in his truck, 9-year-old Kaleb Clem, also suffered minor injuries but weren’t transported to a hospital, the FHP report says, adding that neither Pope nor his 7-year-old passenger, Kayden Northern, required further medical treatment.
The crash is still under investigation and alcohol was not a factor, the FHP report says.