A 59-year-old Anthony man was killed Saturday afternoon after crashing his motorcycle in northern Marion County, marking at least the 12th motorcyclist to lose their life on local roadways this year.
According to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol, the fatal collision occurred at approximately 4:27 p.m. on Saturday, July 25, along County Road 35, just north of State Road 326.
FHP troopers report that the man was riding a motorcycle northbound on CR 35 when he attempted to negotiate a left-hand curve. During the maneuver, the motorcycle ran off the right side of the roadway, and its front end collided with a standing traffic sign.
The impact threw the 59-year-old rider from the motorcycle. The vehicle continued moving forward after the collision before coming to a rest in a roadside ditch.
Emergency responders arrived at the scene and transported the driver to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. FHP noted in its report that the rider was not wearing a helmet.
Through Saturday, at least 12 motorcyclists have been killed in fatal accidents in Marion County this year.
Preliminary crash data from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles dashboard had previously recorded 11 motorcycle fatalities across 98 motorcycle crashes in Marion County through mid-July.
Last month, a collision at County Road 475 and SE 178th Street claimed the life of a 62-year-old Ocala motorcyclist.
So far this year, Marion County has documented 3,276 traffic crashes that have resulted in 45 fatalities and 2,810 injuries. The current rate of rider fatalities remains on pace with recent yearly trends across the county.
Last year, 23 motorcyclists were killed on Marion County roads. Since 2021, annual motorcycle deaths have regularly topped 20 each year.
Despite containing less than 2% of the state’s population, Marion County has accounted for nearly 5% of all motorcycle fatalities statewide this year.
What are your thoughts on traffic safety and the recent rise in motorcycle fatalities across Marion County? Share your perspective in a comment below or write a letter to the editor.