On Friday July 22nd, less than a year after 5 were killed in a pickup truck at the intersection of US 98 and Citrus Way, another wreck took the lives of two more. According to the FHP, a head on collision occurred when a Chrevrolet truck drove into the path of a garbage truck. The Chevrolet truck was heading south on Citrus Way, while the garbage truck was eastbound on 98. John Stevenson, 25 drove the Chrevolet truck while Donna Adams, 25, occupied the passenger seat. The Chrevrolet truck spun out and caught fire after impact with the garbage truck. Stevenson and Adams were killed. The driver of the garbage truck, Vincent Iverson of Land O Lakes suffered minor injury after the truck rolled on its side.
Between July 24, 2015 and July 24, 2016, 7 fatalities and 11 injuries occurred in 9 different wrecks at the intersection of Citrus Way and US 98. This data was partially obtained from Florida’s Integrated Report Exchange System or FIRES. Using the FIRES data on fatalities between 7/24/15 and 7/24/16, nearly 30% of fatalities in Hernando County occurred at the intersection in question.
On July 27th 2015, 5 were killed and 2 injured when a box truck traveling south on Citrus Way did not stop at the intersection, barreling over a pick up truck traveling west on US 98. The 5 killed were in the pick up.
July 24 2014 – July 24 2015 there were 7 injuries, 0 fatalities in wrecks at the intersection.
July 24 2013- July 24 2014: 1 injury, 0 fatalities
July 24 2012- July 24 2013: 5 injuries, 0 fatalities
July 24 2011 – July 24 2012: 1 injury, 0 fatalities
According to Virginia Singer, Public Information Officer for the county, the county is currently in the process of upgrading the signing and striping of this intersection as part of the CR-491 repaving project. However, the county is not aware of any plans by the State to install a signalized intersection. Singer explained that this intersection did not meet the warrant requirements as of last year.