POMONA PARK, Fla. — A motorcycle and pickup truck crash involving a total of eight people in which two suffered critical injuries, occurred in the Pomona Park area in Putnam County Saturday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
FHP says at 9:18 p.m., the pickup truck was traveling south on Highway 17 while the motorcycle was stopped within the southbound lane on Highway 17, waiting for northbound traffic to pass by to make a left turn onto Paradise Shores Road.
Next, FHP says the pickup truck "failed to stop" behind the motorcycle as the front of the pickup truck hit the rear of the motorcycle. A 57-year-old male driver of the motorcycle and a 57-year-old female passenger, both of Crescent City, "were separated" from the motorcycle as the motorcycle came to a final rest within the southbound lane of Highway 17, facing east, the report states. The pickup truck came to final rest just south of Paradise Shores Road, within the southbound lane on Highway 17, facing in a southeastern direction, according to FHP.
Both the man and woman on the motorcycle suffered critical injuries while the 38-year-old male driver, a 19-year-old female passenger, a 6-year-old female passenger, a 9-year-old female passenger, a 13-year-old female passenger and a 4-year-old female passenger of the pickup truck - all of which are from Pierson City, did not suffer any injuries in the crash.
Putnam County Fire Rescue told First Coast News Saturday, they had at least eight units on the scene. PCFR says a UF Health TraumaOne helicopter was launched for patient transport. The ShandsCair 1 helicopter, which launches from UF Health Shands Hospital, was also deployed, according to PCFR.
Highway 17 was shut down for TraumaOne to land on the road. Traffic was being diverted at 10 p.m. Saturday.