Florida
Driver intentionally strikes motorcyclist in road rage crash on Florida interstate, troopers say
SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. – A motorcyclist suffered serious injuries early Friday when they were intentionally struck by a car in an act of road rage on Interstate 75 in Sumter County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The hit-and-run crash occurred just after midnight near mile marker 319 as the motorcyclist and the suspect vehicle — believed to be a gray or silver 2020 Honda Civic — both traveled northbound, troopers said.
Dash camera video provided by FHP shows the moments leading up to the crash, as well as the impact. Though it remains unclear at the time of this report how the incident may have begun, it appeared that the motorcyclist — identified as a 52-year-old Leesburg man — was fleeing the Honda, troopers said.
The motorcyclist can be seen using the outside shoulder to pass a commercial vehicle as the Honda catches up in the center lane. Once the Honda and motorcycle had passed the commercial vehicle, the Honda was abruptly steered toward the outside shoulder where its driver intentionally rammed the motorcyclist, according to FHP. The video shows the motorcycle overturning several times into the wood line as the Honda is driven away.
The Leesburg man was taken to a hospital for treatment of serious injuries, an FHP statement reads.
Troopers said they recovered vehicle parts at the scene indicative of the make and model of car they’re now searching for. No description of the suspect driver was available at the time of this writing.
Anyone with information about the crash is urged to call *FHP (*347) or Crime Stoppers at **TIPS (**8477).
Note: This map depicts the general area of this crash and not necessarily its exact location.
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FORT MYERS, Fla. – An injured manatee and her calf are recovering after authorities on a boat rescued them from the Orange River near Fort Myers on Thursday.
What we know:
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said its Marine Unit, Advanced Technology Support Unit, drone pilots and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission helped in saving the pair after the mother was found hurt in the water and in need of medical attention.
READ: Missing Florida man found stuck in mud without food or water for days: PFD
Video shows authorities pulling the frantic manatees safely onto the boat in netting before taking them to shore.
Courtesy: Lee County Sheriff’s Office
Both animals will be taken to ZooTampa for evaluation and medical care.
What we don’t know:
LCSO did not say the extent of the mother’s injuries.
By the numbers:
As of Feb. 20, there have been 85 manatee deaths across Florida in 2026, according to the FWC. Last year reportedly saw a total of 632 manatee deaths.
Dig deeper:
Earlier this month, the FWC began investigating a spike in manatee deaths, specifically in Lee County, where officials say 25 were found dead within a week.
READ: FWC investigating spike in manatee deaths over the past week
The FWC believes these manatee deaths could be from several factors: cold stress, a lack of seagrass and polluted waterways.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
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