A woman died on Wednesday afternoon after a semi-truck ran a red light and struck her vehicle at an intersection in Ocala.
At approximately 4 p.m., a fully loaded semi-truck was traveling northbound in the outside line near the intersection of N U.S. 441 and NW 20th Street. At the same time, a woman was traveling westbound in a car on NW 20th Street near the same intersection, according to the Ocala Police Department.
A witness told police that the semi-truck approached a red light at the intersection shortly before the accident. The driver began blasting the air horn and the semi-truck proceeded into the intersection.
The other vehicle, which was attempting to turn south onto U.S. 441, was already crossing the northbound lanes. OPD stated that the semi-truck’s driver attempted to turn left to avoid a collision, but the front of the semi-truck crashed into the driver’s side door of the car.
The impact from the collision pushed the car sideways and into the median. The female driver and sole occupant of the car was trauma alerted to a local hospital where she sadly passed away due to her injuries.
Prior to the fatal crash, the semi-truck was diverted into Ocala due to I-75 northbound being shut down from an earlier accident involving a tractor-trailer.
In a social media post, the Ocala Police Department stated, “Our hearts go out to the family and friends who lost their loved one in this tragic crash.”
The names of the drivers involved in the accident were not released by OPD.