A motorcyclist was killed Wednesday afternoon in a fiery three-vehicle crash in Ocala that also torched a semi-truck’s cab.
The incident happened shortly after 2 p.m. when a 2020 Freightliner semi-truck was pulling out of a driveway in the 5400 block of U.S. Hwy. 441 and continued eastbound into the center median. The truck, driven by 40-year-old Raymond Cintron, of Ocala, was blocking the southbound lanes of the roadway, a Florida Highway Patrol report states.
A 1998 Honda Civic driven by 19-year-old Austin James Ray was traveling south on U.S. Hwy. 441 and couldn’t stop in time before colliding with the left side of the semi. A Harley-Davidson V-Rod motorcycle also couldn’t stop and slammed into the left side of the tractor-trailer, the FHP report states.
The cab of the semi burst into flames and was destroyed. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene and hasn’t yet been identified. Cintron was transported to AdventHealth Ocala and Ray was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center. Both are from Ocala and suffered minor injuries in the incident, the report says.
It hasn’t been determined if alcohol played a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation with charges pending, the report says.
Some speculated at the scene that high speeds could have been involved in the crash, though that hasn’t yet been determined. Traffic heading in both directions on U.S. Hwy. 441 near NW 56th Street came to a complete standstill around 4:30 p.m. and many motorists got out of their vehicles to photograph the melee, which was located near War Horse Harley-Davidson.
