Brooksville man killed following U.S. 41 accident

BROOKSVILLE –
A 63-year-old man was killed following a two-vehicle accident Tuesday morning along U.S. 41, troopers said.

George D. Lee, 63, of Brooksville, was in his 2010 Ford Fusion and was stopped at the intersection of Snow Memorial Highway and U.S. 41, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Shortly after 6 a.m., a 1994 Dodge Caravan driven by 42-year-old Joseph N. Musser was traveling southbound along U.S. 41 toward the intersection, troopers said.

An accident report shows Lee pulled forward, turned left onto U.S. 41 and traveled into the path of the Dodge.

Musser’s van collided with the front end of Lee’s sedan, troopers said.

Musser, who lives in Brooksville, received minor injuries in the crash and was treated at Brooksville Regional Hospital, according to the report.

Lee was taken to the same hospital where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.

FHP also reported one of troopers at the scene was injured after a fire engine at the scene backed into his patrol car.

Glenn V. Crima, 42, was seated inside his cruiser shortly after 7:20 a.m. doing paperwork. He had his leg extended outside through the driver’s side door, troopers said.

The fire engine, driven by 28-year-old Ryan J. Trinque, of Hernando County Fire Rescue, backed into the open door and pinned Crima’s leg between the frame and the door, according to the report.

Both vehicles had their emergency lights on, but the driver of the engine did not see the open door as he was backing up, troopers said.

Assistant Fire Chief Frank DeFrancesco, a Hernando County Fire Rescue spokesman, said the car was parked in a blind spot and the driver couldn’t see it before he backed up.

The FHP vehicle sustained $5,000 in damage and the fire engine sustained $1,000, according to the report.

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or [email protected].