A head-on collision on State Road 40 early Wednesday morning claimed the lives of two individuals and temporarily closed the roadway in both directions.
The Florida Highway Patrol was notified about a fatal accident near the intersection of State Road 326 and State Road 40/East Silver Springs Boulevard at around 1:57 a.m. on Wednesday. FHP units were dispatched by 2 a.m. and arrived at the scene by 2:25 a.m., according to a list of active calls maintained by the organization.
According to FHP, an unidentified driver was traveling westbound on State Road 40 in a sedan when it failed to negotiate a curve to the right and crossed over the centerline.
As a result, the sedan crashed head-on into a sport utility vehicle being driven by a 43-year-old woman from Silver Springs.
After the collision, the sedan became engulfed in flames. The driver, who has not yet been identified by FHP, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Silver Springs woman was transported to a local hospital, where she was also pronounced deceased.
FHP reports that they are still notifying the next of kin for both individuals.
According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal accident caused E Hwy 40 to be closed in both directions at the roadway’s intersection with SR 326.
The FHP’s active calls list shows that as of 6:40 a.m., the roadway is clear and there are no longer road blocks in effect.
No additional details are currently available regarding the incident or the flow of traffic in the area.
According to accident data maintained by the FHP, this year, there have been at least 23 fatalities reported on Marion County roadways.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated with additional details provided by Florida Highway Patrol.