OCALA, FL : 2 dead, officer injured after car strikes pedestrian, crashes head-on into Ocala on Saturday, 26th August 2023

A pair of crashes Saturday night in Ocala left two people dead and a police officer seriously injured, according to law enforcement.

The first crash occurred around 10:26 p.m. at the intersection of South Pine Avenue and SW 17th Street, police said.

A driver traveling eastbound on SW 17th Street sped through the intersection, striking a pedestrian and a parked patrol car before driving away from the scene, according to a statement on social media. That pedestrian — identified as James Thompson Jr., 26 — later died at a hospital, police said.

Police reportedly pursued the driver further eastbound along SE Maricamp Road, approaching an officer parked in the grass median near the 3000 block who was preparing to deploy stop sticks. The pursued driver then struck the parked cruiser head-on while the officer was still inside, what police said appeared to be intentional.


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