One killed, three critically injuried in Nov. 15, wrong way, four-vehicle, Crystal River crash

Crystal River, Florida - A four-vehicle traffic crash that occurrred in Crystal River. FL on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 15, resulted in the death of a Weirsdale, FL man, traveling alone and driving in the wrong direction on U.S. Hwy. 19 in Crystal River, FL, critical injuries to three St. George, GA residents and minor injuries to two other drivers traveling alone. The crash occurred at 6:47 pm, on U.S. Hwy. 19, at W. Cornflower Dr.

According to a press release by the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the Weirsdale, FL man killed in the crash was driving a van, traveling south in the northbound, inside lane of US 19, while the other three vehicles were traveling north in the northbound lanes of US 19. Near W. Cornflower Dr.

The release stated that the Weirsdale, FL man collided head-on with a sports utility vehicle (SUV) driven by a 30 year-old St. George, GA man, which caused the van to become airborne. The van landed and came to rest in the center median. After the impact with the van, the SUV rotated into the path of, and was struck by, a pickup truck driven by a 73 year-old Crystal River, FL man. After the impact, the SUV overturned and came to rest on the east grass shoulder as a fourth vehicle, a sedan driven by a 76 year-old Old Town, FL man, sideswiped the pickup truck, traveled onto the shoulder and struck a tree.

The Weirsdale, FL man driving the van suffered fatal injuries at the scene of the crash. The three passengers inside the SUV, all from St. George, GA, suffered critical injuries: the 30 year-old driver, a 25 year-old woman and a two year-old girl. The driver of the pickup truck and the driver of the sedan both received minor injuries; both were traveling alone.

The press release stated that each of the six passengers involved in the traffic crash was wearing a seatbelt.

Citing Marsy's law, the FHP no longer releases the names of passengers involved in traffic crashes in its press releases.