A vehicle crash that left four people injured – two critically – at the Southern Trace Plaza ranks as the No. 9 story of 2020 in The Villages.
The crash took place on March 2 when 55-year-old Steven Read of Oxford suffered a medical episode and his silver 2008 Mercedes-Benz two-door convertible ended its rampage by striking the front of Salon Jaylee, which is next door to the Publix liquor store.
When Read lost control of the vehicle, it struck several plants in front of Publix. Debris hit 67-year-old Monica Pittman of The Villages, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report. The vehicle continued on the sidewalk and struck 72-year-old Joyce Manns of New Bethlehem, Pa., then slammed into 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.
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.
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.
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 was unclear how long or if Salon Jaylee would 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 the next day.
Two Florida Highway Patrol troopers were on scene around 5:30 p.m. to conduct a thorough crash investigation into the nighttime hours. Both vehicles also remained on scene while the FHP officers conducted their investigation.
On the day after the crash that critically injured the two pedestrians, Read hadn’t been ticketed. The Bison Valley resident had been arrested in 2018 at what was then Guy Fieri’s restaurant at Lake Sumter Landing.
