Driver, 79, dies after head-on collision in Zephyrhills, troopers say

ZEPHYRHILLS — A 79-year-old driver was killed in a head-on collision Tuesday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash took place about 11:15 a.m. on EIland Boulevard, near Fountain Road.

A 65-year-old Wesley Chapel woman was driving an SUV east on EIland Boulevard. Headed in the opposite direction was a van driven by a 79-year-old man from Jamestown, Va., who was headed west on EIland Boulevard.

Then the 65-year-old woman crossed the center line in her SUV, entered the westbound lane and struck the van nearly head-on, troopers said.

The 79-year-old man was rushed to a hospital for emergency medical treatment but later died of his injuries, according to the Highway Patrol. He was not wearing his seatbelt. The 65-year-old woman was wearing her seatbelt and suffered serious injuries.

Troopers did not say what led the SUV driver to enter opposing traffic or release any other information about the crash.

The Highway Patrol did not release the names of those involved in the crash because of its interpretation of Marsy’s Law, a voter-approved amendment to the state Constitution that was meant to protect crime victims but that deprives the public of information long available under Florida’s public records law.