Wrong-way driver and woman killed Saturday night on U.S. 27 in rural NW Marion County

Two people were killed Saturday night when a wrong-way vehicle struck a car head-on.

The deadly crash occurred along a dark stretch of U.S. 27 with no street lights. The crash closed the southbound lanes for several hours so Florida Highway Patrol troopers could take measurements, interview a witness and wait for the Medical Examiner’s Office to respond.

According to FHP officials, a Jeep Grand Cherokee was northbound in the southbound inside lane of U.S. 27. A Ford Fusion was southbound on U.S. 27 in the inside lane, and the Jeep slammed into the car about a mile south of County Road 326 in rural northwest Marion County.

FHP officials said the driver of the Grand Cherokee, identified only as a 54-year-old man from Miami, was the lone occupant of the vehicle and died at the scene.

The Ford driver was a 22-year-old Williston woman. She also died at the scene and was the only person in her vehicle. Troopers were told the woman was on her way to work.

Names of victims involved in crashes are no longer being released by FHP officials.

Marion County Fire Rescue spokesman James Lucas said his agency received the call at 6:46 p.m. Saturday and arrived at 6:55 p.m.

The man and woman had to be extricated from the vehicles.