Three transported to hospital after Millhopper Road head-on crash
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Three Gainesville men were transported to the hospital this morning following a head-on crash on Millhopper Road.
According to a release from the Florida Highway Patrol, a Ford Mustang driven by a 20-year-old Gainesville man was traveling eastbound on CR 232 (Millhopper Road) at about 7:20 a.m. this morning, and a Chevrolet Malibu driven by a 31-year-old Gainesville man was traveling westbound. The Mustang swerved into the oncoming lane near NW 69th Drive and collided head-on with the Malibu.
The driver of the Malibu was transported to the hospital in critical condition. The driver of the Mustang and his 16-year-old male passenger were transported to the hospital in serious condition. All three were wearing seatbelts.
The Gainesville cycling club rides out that road. Four wheelers are out to kill us. Several years ago, we were riding single file so cars could pass. There was an oncoming car & some F-Tard mowed down several of my cycling colleagues. Thankfully we had cell phones & a SAG truck stocked w/ a medical kit- no meds but a metric F-Ton of bandages. What happened to the city I fell in love with when I came here to study???
Maggie G MSN, NP-C
This article has nothing to do with cycling. Take your rant elsewhere.
Well Joe,
Cyclists are vehicles and have every right to comment on the unsafe behavior of other vehicles.
That’s not the way I drive around cyclists, but are you the type of cyclists to dare automobiles to get out of your way? I’m sorry to hear about your accident, however your over generalizations towards everyone else in Gainesville is unnecessary and rude.
it’s not an overgeneralization, people in this county have no idea how to drive
Bit of a potty mouth rant . At times I see them obey only the road rules that are convenient to them. Cyclist at times create their own problems. Choose a road wide enough to share. You will not win against a car.
“Choose a road wide enough to share.”
literally not how the world or the laws work, cyclists have every right to ride on public roads regardless of how wide they are, 3ft gap is the law.
Then don’t whine when you get mowed down by cars. Bike weights what? Maybe 50 pounds? Car 2 tons of metal moving at 50 MPH and guess who’s going to lose? You’re “rights” won’t matter much to you if you’re just a grease spot on Millhopper Road now will they?
are you actually threatening to “mow” down cyclists cause you’re too pathetically lazy to turn your steering wheel a couple inches. You might end up being the one covering the road when it’s all said and done.
I hear you. Back in the 1990s there was a GCC ride out of town. A pickup came from behind and killed 5 or so riders on a county road. Their bikes are enshrined in concrete monoliths around the Fine Arts buildings at UF and in Depot park. I was an avid road biker but after that crap I bought a mountain bike and left the roadways for good.
They’re not out to kill you. Share the road goes both ways.
Ask the liberal lunatics what’s happened to the city… they’re the ones destroying what I grew up with.
Maybe because bicycles weren’t meant to be used at the same place a motor vehicle is supposed to be used.
Unfortunately… Death is a lesson of ignorance.
comments like yours exemplify exactly what is wrong with motorists.
And comments like yours exemplify exactly what is wrong with bicyclists. Once again, I reiterate for you, if a wee bicycle meets 2 tons of steel guess who’s going to lose?
maybe you are ignorant for not building a second sidewalk so bicyclists can be safe. maybe millions are ignorant because not one came up with this most obvious and basic approach. rather you all just fight with each other and hurt each other and disrespect people on little 20 lb bicycles. it’s absolutely petty
I live right on Millhopper Rd. there is a reason for the 40 mph speed limit.
I drove by this accident and it’s a miracle anyone could survive. I pray that they make it. I live off Millhopper and agree that most people don’t follow the speed limit. I would like to see more enforcement.
Totally agree. I used to think it was the country boy bro’s in their jacked up trucks but young and old alike fly on this road. More traffic enforcement please.
ASO has been patrolling regularly. I see them with someone pulled over regularly. Unfortunately, looks like someone was going too fast and crossed the center line. Far too many people do this on the regular on this road. Happened to me yesterday and I had to stop and honk my horn because someone crossed the double line even a little bit. The county needs to widen the road because realistically you cannot lower the speed limit much more on that road, especially since nobody seems to be following it anyways.
Seatbelts save lives. Stupid kills them.
thank you for this
I live off of Millhopper and I am asking for everyone to go the speed limit and STOP TEXTING…..
Millhopper Road is my favorite route to drive, whenever going into Gainesville to shop at Hunter’s Crossing or do volunteer work. I live in the city of Alachua, am retired, and appreciate the slower pace, shady road and scenery along the wayside of Millhopper Road. The posted speed limit is 40mph which is relatively slow by most driver’s standards these days, however there are several reasons for it, including wildlife crossing, San Felasco walking-trail, blind hills, dips, curves, bike-lane, driveways, and adjacent subdivision access points There are actually some drivers who obey the speed limit and cruise at 40mph, no matter the time nor the day. However there are others who find it necessary to exceed speed limit, tailgate, and attempt passing at excessive speeds in otherwise restricted non-passing zones, generally Monday through Friday commuters of the early morning and afternoon/evening hours. I actually just missed being involved in this morning’s collision, but did see ambulance and fire-truck head in the direction of the accident at 7:25 AM, but did witness the crumpled cars being towed off at about 1:30 PM, this afternoon. I was amazed at the condition of the vehicles, considering the 35-40 mph zone, blind drives, curve in the road, and cautious driving…this accident should not have happened as it did.
Passed these wrecked vehicles this morning. Prayers that all make it through and get well. 🙏
The black mustang was driving recklessly before the accident. He floored the gas and drove into the opposite lane to pass two vehicles almost hitting two cars simultaneously. One vehicle was coming westbound and the other eastbound which he wanted to pass because they were driving within the speed limit.
This is terrible. Prayers for all involved.
The black mustang never slowed down after barley passing those vehicles.
It was a blue mustang traveling at, what I estimate to be, well over 100mph when he passed me. He never used his brakes as he continued to weave in and out of the line of traffic on their morning commute. As he rounded the curve, already crossed over the double yellow line, I lost sight of him and there was a flash. I knew at that moment, it was bad. It was worse than bad. The wreckless idiot had made impact with an unsuspecting driver heading jn the opposite direction. I was third vehicle to the scene as a nurse on my way to work. Injuries are severe. There is not one excuse for this type of driving behavior nor the negative comments about cyclists. I cycle too, you should try it, it will give you a new respect for looking out for your fellow humans who either walk or cycle.
Thank you for explaining what happened to those of us who only saw the aftermath. God be with you and those poor innocent victims, and everyone involved.
Omg, this is my fear every single day I have to drive.
So many people think it’s ok to pass 2,3 or 5 vehicles at a time going the speed limit, it’s illegal and so dangerous.
My husband and I were driving west on Millhopper a few years ago and about 25 motorcycles road up on us and other narrowly missing cars as they sped past us and other drivers. (I’m not saying anything about motorcyclists in general just drivers in general). So many people do not care.
I live on 232 in Gilchrist county and we called the sheriffs department on this guy always stopping and burning rubber into the road in front of our house and others houses. He left one time and another person from the county saw him traveling at speeds in excess of 100mph. WHY!
This is what kills people, reckless driving and not learning how to be a defensive driver(although sometimes their is no time to be defensive, sadly).
Will it just stop. We need more enforcement of laws like speeding before the speeding turns into recklessness and such.
The sheriffs department showed up, we found the guys address and had his plate number but he wouldn’t do anything. There is a literal hole in the road from where the guy burned out. He wrecked public property in the least(drove recklessly at worst) and the deputy did nothing.
have some compassion. those are 3 human lives . that “wreckless idiot” went to the hospital in serious condition same as everyone else . humans make mistakes, and he will not be making this one again.
I was the first car he passed on that road immediately after turning off of 241. He passed me and 4 other cars in a no passing zone, going over a hill we couldn’t see beyond. Told myself “he’s going to kill somebody”… then I got to that curve and knew it was him. I feel bad for his passenger and the driver of the other car, this could’ve been prevented.
Totally agree with you. I believe I have seen the Mustang on other occasions in the past month, pull the same stunts…
Hopefully the Mustang driver died, before passing on his defective dna.
That driver was my teenage grandson keep your comments to your self.
Then someone in your family should have taught him to respect the power of an automobile and to respect the lives of others.
You still don’t wish death on someone. But I can tell your just as dumb as the other person 😊
Well he was wishing death on others by driving drunk and reckless. It is obvious stupid runs in the family.
You know i love people who know everything right wrong or indifferent?it doesn’t matter because in the end we are humans and everybody is entitled to their opinion, but the problem is everybody is someone’s mother father or child and we’ve all made mistakes, but saying certain negative things about people regardless of whether they’re right or wrong makes you no better then all involved
People like you are idiots no matter if he did it you don’t wish death on anyone. This is is his sister fyi kiss my ass 😘
How does it feel to have such an unintelligent brother?
how does it feel to hide behind a screen? you need some sense knocked into you.
Well people at the seen saw evidence that he was drunk. It is idiots like your brother who end up killing innocent people.
you truly are a terrible human.
i hope this bites right back at you. horrible horrible person.
this needs to be removed.
youre sick.
someday someone you love will get into a crash maybe then youll have some compassion.
I spoke to the second person on scene who was passed by the blue mustang traveling east moments before the crash. He estimated the mustangs speed at 80-100 MPH. The driver was passing vehicles in no passing zones. He did not “swerve” into oncoming traffic.
I am so sorry that this has happened.
I wonder how many of those who witnessed the erratic and dangerous driving called ASO to report it?
Did the garbage truck parked a few feet away from the crash not have anything to do with the impact?
I hope that none of you who wished bad things to happen to those involved have to go through anything like this, ever. Shame on you for even having those thoughts let alone put them down on paper. People like you are why we have the hatred we do today.