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Woman, 12-year-old boy die in Dixie County crash as Debby blows through the state

Gov. DeSantis said deaths during major weather events are counted as storm-related fatalities

File photo of Florida Highway Patrol cruiser (WJXT 2020)

DIXIE COUNTY, Fla. – A Dixie County crash left two people dead and one person in the hospital Sunday night as the state started to feel the effects of Debby.

According to Florida Highway Patrol, an SUV was traveling down U.S. 19 north of 483rd Avenue just before 9:30 p.m.

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Witnesses said the vehicle appeared to have lost control due to inclement weather and the wet roadway.

After losing control, the vehicle struck a guardrail in the center median and overturned. The 38-year-old female driver and a 12-year-old boy were pronounced dead at the scene. A 14-year-old boy was transported to UF Health with serious injuries.

Traffic accidents or fatalities that occur during storms are counted as storm-related fatalities, Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a news conference Monday.

“When you deal with storms, if there’s some traffic accident, we count it, right? We did have a report in Dixie County of a car hydroplaning and crashing,” DeSantis said.

The crash is under investigation by FHP.


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