Four people were injured – two critically – Monday afternoon when two vehicles collided and one slammed into the front of Salon Jaylee in the Southern Trace Plaza in The Villages.
The two critically injured patients were transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center, while the other two were taken to local hospitals. It was originally thought that six people were hurt in the crash. None of the victims’ names were available Monday night.
The crash, which involved a Mercedes sports car and a Lexus sedan, happened shortly before 4:30 p.m. The Mercedes apparently slammed into the Lexus and then crashed into the front area of Salon Jaylee, breaking away a large support post in front of the popular hair salon and scattering debris in front of several businesses.
At least two patients were on the ground near the salon when emergency crews arrived. They were quickly treated by emergency personnel from The Villages Public Safety Department and crews from Sumter County EMS.
Shortly before 6 p.m., a work crew was constructing a wall to temporarily replace the damaged area in front of Salon Jaylee, where a large wooden post appeared to be holding up an awning. The window at a nearby jewelry store reportedly was blown out during the incident and the Publix liquor store on the other side of the salon was temporarily closed.
It’s unclear how long or if Salon Jaylee will be closed. An employee in the parking lot who was taking photos on her cell phone said she had received a text message telling her not to report for work Tuesday.
The investigation into the crash was turned over to the Florida Highway Patrol late Monday afternoon. Two troopers already were on scene around 5:30 p.m. and were expected to conduct a thorough crash investigation into the nighttime hours. Both vehicles also remained on scene while the FHP officers conducted their investigation.
