Two Elderly Gainesville Residents Die in Waldo Crash

WALDO ‒ On Friday, July 12, 2024, at approximately 12:35 p.m., a Gainesville man and woman were killed in a traffic crash that occurred at Northeast U.S. Highway 301 and County Road 225.

The minivan the couple were traveling in entered the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 301 from the stop sign at County Road 225 where it was struck in a T-bone fashion by a tractor trailer traveling southbound in the inside lane.

Occupants in the minivan were an 82-year-old man and 80-year-old woman. After Alachua County Fire Rescue and Melrose Fire Rescue were able to extract the minivan driver, both occupants were transported to UF Health Shands where they were pronounced deceased.

The driver of the tractor trailer was a 45-year-old Ocala man who reported no injuries.

All parties were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash.

The crash is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.

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