Umatilla, FL : A woman died and a man was seriously injured in a head-on collision at Southeast Marion County On Thursday, May 26th, 2016

A 36-year-old woman died and a man was seriously injured in a head-on collision on a two-lane road in rural southeast Marion County early Thursday afternoon.

Rachel Simmons, a resident of Umatilla in Lake County, was killed, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. She was driving a 2001 Mercedes Benz.

Terynce Baker, 27, of Tacoma, Washington, who was driving a 2016 Dodge Ram 2500 van, was injured.

FHP troopers said the van was headed south on County Road 452. A witness — a driver in a vehicle in front of the van — had to swerve to avoid hitting an oncoming car that crossed the center line.

The oncoming car then struck the van head-on, FHP troopers said.

Baker was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center in serious condition. Simmons was pronounced dead at the crash scene by a paramedic with Marion County Fire Rescue.

Before the man could be taken to the hospital, firefighters had to use the Jaws of Life to cut the driver's side door of the van. Once that was done, they were able to remove to him from the vehicle. The extrication took about seven minutes,

according to firefighters at the scene.

The crash occurred perhaps 300 yards south of County Road 42. MCFR was dispatched at 1:46 p.m.


Source :
One dead in head-on collision