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Motorcyclist, Passenger Seriously Injured in Hernando Crash

Patrol Car | Florida Highway Patrol | FHP

Both were thrown from the bike.

HERNANDO COUNTY – A motorcycle driver and his passenger suffered serious injuries when they were thrown from the bike during a crash Thursday (Aug. 31) in Hernando County, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Gilbert Ortiz, 40, and Erica Ferreira, 28, both of Spring Hill, were taken to Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point with critical injuries. Neither was wearing a helmet. Richard Klein, 80, of Spring Hill, one of the other drivers, received minor injuries but was not taken to a hospital. A third driver was not injured.

The crash happened about 2:24 p.m. on State Road 50 at Medical Center Drive. Troopers said Klein was driving a 2011 Ford Fusion north on Medical Center and turned right onto SR 50 after stopping at the sign. Once on SR 50, Klein traveled across all lanes of traffic and into the path of the eastbound 2007 Suzuki motorcycle that Ortiz was driving. As a result, the Ford collided with the Suzuki.

After the impact, the Ford came to rest on the south shoulder of the roadway. The Suzuki overturned, collided with the center median and came to rest in the westbound lanes of SR 50. Both Ortiz and Ferreira were thrown from the bike and landed in the roadway, troopers said. Debris from the motorcycle hit a 2007 Ford Fusion driven by Nanciann Santoro, 38, of Brooksville, who had been driving west on SR 50.

For information about the Florida Highway Patrol, go to flhsmv.gov.

Florida Highway Patrol | Motorcycle Crash | Motorcycle Accident | Traffic Crash | Tampabay News | Local News | TB Reporter

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