A 79-year-old Ocala man was killed Sunday afternoon when his vehicle collided three times with a large van on a roadway outside the Market of Marion in Belleview.
The crash occurred on a private road at the flea market, located at 12888 U.S. Hwy. 27/441, when a 1998 Toyota Corolla slammed into the rear of a 2003 Chevrolet Express 3500 van. The Camry then struck the van two more times before coming to rest, a Florida Highway Patrol report states.
The driver of the Camry was transported by ambulance to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the van, 39-year-old William T. Ihle, received minor injuries and remained on scene after the crash. His passenger, 41-year-old Melissa L. Danley, also was transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where she was treated for “non-incapacitating” injuries, the report says.
The identity of the man killed in the 2:15 p.m. crash, who wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Alcohol was ruled out as a factor in the incident, the report says.