Sumter County, FL : 54-year-old man was critically injured after his pickup truck was clipped by a tractor-trailer on Tuesday morning July 29th 2014

A 54-year-old man was critically injured after his pickup truck was clipped by a tractor-trailer and then went spinning into a tree Tuesday in Sumter County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

William Jackson, 43, of Fort White, was traveling southbound on I-75 in the outside lane in a tractor-trailer around 6:45 a.m.

Richard Whitlock, of Hernando, was also traveling southbound on I-75 in the outside lane ahead of Jackson. Whitlock was in a 193 Ford pickup truck.

An unidentified vehicle that was traveling between the two vehicles changed lanes to the inside lane in order to pass Whitlock.

Jackson failed to observe Whitlock, who was traveling slower, and then attempted to swerve toward the left to avoid hitting Whitlock's pickup truck.

But the front right bumper of Jackson's tractor-trailer struck the left rear bumper of Whitlock's pickup truck. Whitlock's vehicle then rotated clockwise onto the emergency shoulder and down a grassy embankment, where the vehicle struck a tree.

Whitlock was entrapped in the vehicle. He was then airlifted to Ocala Regional Medical Center with critical injuries.

Jackson wasn't injured.

Charges are pending, according to the Florida Highway Patrol report.

Source :
Man critically injured after pickup truck crashes into tree in Sumter County