One person dead after golf cart crash

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A 65-year-old Ocala woman has died after being ejected from a golf cart in a fatal traffic accident, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

The woman was driving east on the golf cart along SW 87 Loop in the Indigo East subdivision when she drove through a stop sign and collided with a pick-up truck towing a trailer along SW 79 Terrace Road, according to FHP.

The golf cart struck the truck, a Ram towing an enclosed trailer, causing the driver of the golf cart to be ejected from the vehicle into the road, where she was struck by the trailer, according to FHP.

The crash could have been avoided if not for complacency, said FHP Sergeant Mark Webber.

“Apparently it is (legal) around there,” Webber said. “They do whatever they want out there anyway.”

The driver of the truck, a 39-year-old man from Summerfield, suffered no injuries in the crash.

The truck driver was found to be completely free of fault and will not be charged with crimes related to the crash or death of the other driver, Webber said.

“The other driver did absolutely nothing wrong, he even provided a voluntary blood draw to clear him,” he said.

The driver of the golf cart was pronounced dead at HCA Ocala Hospital.

“She didn’t even come out in front of the truck, she hit the side of the truck,” he said.

Webber said he believes that people in this area are used to doing the same things every day and get comfortable. The driver of the golf cart is said to have failed to stop at the stop sign, and Webber said he doesn’t believe she was looking for oncoming traffic.

“It’s complacency,” he said. “Jesus, this crash happened 50 feet from her driveway.”