An investigator with the Florida Highway Patrol has determined that a driver suffered a medical episode prior to a crash Monday afternoon at Southern Trace Plaza in The Villages.
Two pedestrians were critically injured when 55-year-old Steven Read of Oxford suffered the medical episode at 4:25 p.m. Monday and his silver 2008 Mercedes-Benz two-door convertible ended its abrupt rampage when it struck the front of Salon Jaylee, which is next door to the Publix liquor store at Southern Trace Plaza.
When Read lost control of the vehicle, it struck several plants in front of Publix. Debris struck 67-year-old Monica Pittman of The Villages, according to the FHP report. The vehicle continued on the sidewalk and struck 72-year-old Joyce Manns of New Bethlehem, Pa. The Mercedes-Benz then struck a 2011 Lexus LS460 driven by 84-year-old Jay Richard of Fond du Lac, Wis. The convertible finally crashed into the front pillars of Salon Jaylee. Debris from that impact struck 13-year-old Lincoln Gagne of Leesburg.
Pittman was transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center. Gagne was taken by ambulance to Leesburg Regional Medical Center. Manns was also transported to a local hospital.
Read was seriously injured and also taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center.
Richard and a passenger in his vehicle, 76-year-old Robert Schuster of Fond du Lac, Wis., both escaped injury.
Read has not been ticketed in the crash, the report indicated. Read, who lives in Bison Valley, had been arrested in 2018 at what was then Guy Fieri’s restaurant at Lake Sumter Landing.