HIGH SPRINGS — Two Fort White women were killed when they crossed over into oncoming traffic in southern Columbia County on Wednesday night.
A Florida Highway Patrol release states the women were headed south on U.S. Highway 441 at 8:50 p.m. Wednesday when they approached County Road 778. As the women approached the intersection with CR 778, the FHP release states their SUV crossed into the northbound lane.
According to FHP, the women’s SUV side-swiped a northbound pickup stopped in the left-turn lane looking to head onto CR 778 and then hit another northbound pickup head-on.
The driver of the SUV, a 72-year-old Fort White woman, was taken to HCA Florida Lake City Hospital but died from her injuries.
The passenger in the vehicle, a 64-year-old Fort White woman, died after being transported to UF Health Shands Hospital.
The driver of the parked pickup, a 62-year-old Fort White man, was not injured while the driver of the other pickup, a 19-year-old Lake Butler man, drove themselves to HCA North Florida Hospital in Gainesville with minor injuries.
Neither of the Fort White women were wearing seatbelts, according to FHP.