LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – North and southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 27 in Lake County were closed overnight Saturday as law enforcement investigated a fatal crash that ended a police pursuit.
According to an FHP crash report and a news release from the Fruitland Park Police Department, Lady Lake police were in pursuit of a vehicle traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 27 that entered Fruitland Park around 4 p.m. Police said the driver of the vehicle was being investigated for a theft at a Home Depot in Lady Lake.
A Lady Lake officer stated over police radio that the driver — identified by troopers as a 35-year-old Orlando man — attempted to use his vehicle to run into the officer at the scene before fleeing.
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During the pursuit, the vehicle crossed over the center median and continued southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S.-27 at an estimated 110 mph, according to police.
Fruitland Park police said one of its officers observed the vehicle and activated their emergency lights, but was unable to catch up to the driver.
According to the releases, the fleeing driver crashed into an SUV that was traveling northbound on U.S.-27.
Officials said the driver of the fleeing vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene and the three occupants of the SUV that he struck — a 43-year-old woman who suffered serious injuries and two teenage girls who suffered minor injuries, ages 13 and 14, all of The Villages — were taken to a local hospital.
The Fruitland Park Police Department said it requested assistance from FHP to investigate the crash. That investigation is ongoing.
According to a tweet from FL511, the scene was cleared just before 3 a.m. Sunday, with one lane still blocked at that time.
Cleared: Crash in Lake County on US-27 / Blitchton Rd North, at CR-466/Lemon St. Left turn lane blocked. Last updated at 02:58 AM.
— FL511 Central (@fl511_central) February 26, 2023
This is a developing story. Check back with News 6 for updates.
Note: Due to the information provided, this map depicts the general area of this crash and not necessarily its exact location.
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