Motorcyclist dies in crash in Ocala

[File photo by Bruce Ackerman]

A 34-year-old Dunnellon man died April 4 after the motorcycle he was riding struck the rear of a pickup truck on southwest State Road 40, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred around 7:40 p.m. on SR 40 west of Southwest 185th Avenue Road. According to the press release, the victim was riding a motorcycle westbound on SR 40 “at a high rate of speed” while approaching a pickup truck also westbound on the same road.

The motorcycle struck the pickup truck’s left rear section…causing the motorcycle to overturn several times” and throwing the victim from the motorcycle, the press release stated. 

The victim, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The pickup driver, of Ocala, who wore a seat belt, was transported to a hospital for evaluation, according to the press release.  

The FHP Crash Dashboard at flhsmv.gov states that based upon preliminary data there have been 15 traffic fatalities in Marion County from Jan. 1 to March 19.