A 6-week-old Gainesville baby was killed and five others were critically injured Friday in a multi-vehicle crash near Silver Springs.
Just after 4 p.m., a semi-truck was driving west on East State Road 40 at Northeast 125th Terrace Road when the driver drove straight instead of following the road’s curve, said Lt. Patrick Riordan, a Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson.
Troopers are treating the crash as a traffic homicide, he said.
The trailer drove across the east lane, hitting a van and then a pickup truck driving behind it, he said. Debris from the crash then hit a motorcycle driver.
Zoe Robles Vallespi, the baby from Gainesville, died on the scene, Riordan said. She was in the van with other passengers who were critically injured including, Ashley K. Borja, 28, of Ocala; Juan G. Robles Vallespi, 31, of Gainesville; Juan Robles Vallespi, 5, of Gainesville; Kley Borja, 4, of Ocala; and Mia Figueroa, 8, of Gainesville.
Juan G. Robles Vallespi was taken to Ocala Regional Medical Center, Riordan said. The driver of the van and three children were taken to UF Health Shands Hospital.
The 36-year-old trailer driver, Lacosta Romone Clyde of Daytona Beach, wasn’t injured, Riordan said.
The motorcycle driver — William Weakland Jr, 36, of Ocala — and pickup driver — Phillip Morris, 42, of Ocklawaha, Florida — had minor injuries and were not taken to a hospital, he said.
“Life is precious,” Riordan said. “Defensive driving is everything.”
