Two hospitalized after three-vehicle, CR 495, Dunnelon, FL crash
Dunnellon, Florida - Two people were hospitalized as the result of a three-vehicle traffic crash that occurred on Monday, Nov. 22, at 7:07 pm on County Road 495 (N. Citrus Ave.), 15 feet north of W. Adirondack St., in Dunnellon, Florida.
According to the FHP, a Yamaha YZ450 dirt bike, driven by a 19 year-old man from Deerfield Beach, FL was turning left onto County Road 495 from a dirt trail opposite of the intersection with W. Adirondack St., which placed it in the path of a Chevrolet Suburban sports utility vehicle (SUV), driven by a 65 year-old man from Crystal River FL, that was traveling north on County Road 496, just south of the intersection with W. Adirondack St. The SUV was traveling behind a Suzuki Boulevard C50 motorcycle, driven by a 70 year-old man from Dunnellon.
According to the FHP crash report, as the dirt bike attempted to make the turn from the dirt trail onto County Road 495, the front of the SUV collided with the rear of the dirt bike, which overturned onto its left side and traveled under the SUV. The front of the motorcycle then collided with the dirt bike, which had overturned within the roadway, which caused the motorcycle to overturn onto its left side and slide to rest on the east shoulder. Before the FHP trooper arrived on scene, the dirt bike and the SUV had also been relocated to the east shoulder.
The driver of the dirt bike was airlifted via AifLife 4 to Ocala Regional Medical Center in Ocala, FL. The driver of the motorcycle was transported via EMS Rescue 20 to Bayfront Health Seven Rivers in Crystal River, FL, and the driver of the SUV had no reported injuries.
The driver of the dirt bike was issued a citation for failure to yield right of way while making a left turn from a private road, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle. The report stated the unregistered dirt bike had no head light, tail light or brake light. The report also stated that the driver of the SUV was wearing a seatbelt, and the drivers of the motorcycle and the dirt bike were both wearing a Department of Transportation-compliant motorcycle helmet.