Two people were killed, and another seriously injured, after a car and SUV collided on SE 36th Avenue in Ocala on Tuesday night.
Shortly before 8:25 p.m., the Ocala Police Department received a call regarding a crash that had occurred near the 1500 block of SE 36th Avenue. When officers arrived at the scene, they observed a car that was fully engulfed in flames, according to OPD.
Ocala Fire Rescue quickly arrived on scene, and firefighters immediately began combating the car fire. Within minutes, the flames were extinguished.
According to Ocala police, the car’s two occupants, an unidentified male and female, sustained fatal injuries and were pronounced deceased at the scene. The male was ejected from the vehicle during the crash.
OPD stated that the SUV was driven by a juvenile who was taken to a local hospital for treatment of “serious injuries.”
An OPD Traffic Homicide Investigator responded to the accident site to conduct an investigation into the fatal crash.
In a social media post on Wednesday afternoon, OPD stated that investigators are currently seeking assistance from the community regarding the deadly crash on SE 36th Avenue. “If you were in the area of the incident, around 8:20 p.m., and may have witnessed the event, or if you have any relevant home surveillance footage including Ring cameras, please come forward.”
The vehicles involved in the crash have been identified by Ocala police as a white Mazda Miata and a gray Mercedes SUV. Investigators are seeking information from anyone who saw these vehicles “at any moment on SE 36th Ave” on Tuesday night, especially if any “instances of erratic driving” were observed.
OPD states that every piece of evidence or testimony can be crucial in piecing together the details of this fatal crash. If you have any information that could help with this ongoing investigation, the police department asks that you call 352-369-7000.
Anyone wishing to remain anonymous can contact the Crime Stoppers of Marion County by calling 352-368-7867(STOP) or clicking here to submit an online tip.