Six people – including three young children who weren’t properly restrained – were injured in a crash in Leesburg early Tuesday afternoon.
The incident at the intersection of State Road 44 and Whitney Road took place at about 1:40 p.m. when a 1998 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by 19-year-old Sarah Reid, of Ocala, slammed into a 2018 Kia Soul driven by 88-year-old Oscar Kugler, of New York, who is likely to be a snowbird. Prior to the crash, Reid’s pickup, which was heading westbound, left the roadway and traveled onto the east shoulder before she overcorrected and rammed into Kugler’s eastbound vehicle, a Florida Highway Patrol report states.
Three children in Reid’s vehicle – 2-year-old Carter Reid, 4-year-old Mia Reid and 2-year-old Masion Reid – were injured and airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando. Carter Reid was ejected during the crash and was seriously injured, as was Mia Reid. Mason Reid’s injuries were deemed critical, the FHP report says.
Kugler also was seriously injured and was transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center. Sarah Reid and her passenger, 40-year-old passenger Amth Reid, also of Ocala, received minor injuries and also were transported to ORMC.
Sarah Reid was ticketed for careless driving and failing to secure the three children in proper restraints. All three of the adults involved in the crash were wearing seatbelts. Alcohol was ruled out as a factor in the crash, the FHP report says.
Multiple units from Leesburg Fire Rescue and Lake EMS, as well as officers from the Leesburg Police Department, responded to the incident with FHP troopers. SR 44 was closed for a period of time as troopers investigated the crash and the three medical helicopters landed at the scene to transport to the children to Orlando for treatment.
