INVERNESS, Fla. - Troopers have arrested Manuel Alfonzo Villalbazo, 22, of Ocala, on several charges after a fatal multi-vehicle crash in Citrus County early Saturday morning.
It happened around 1:45 a.m. on US 41 at South Airport Road.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 16-year-old was traveling southbound on US-41 in the inside northbound lane with Villalbazo as his passenger when he collided nearly head-on with a sedan driven by an 18-year-old female who was traveling northbound on US 41.
Post-impact, the SUV rotated to final rest in the southbound left-turn lane while the sedan rotated to rest along the east sidewalk on the shoulder of US-41.
The 18-year-old driving the sedan was taken to an area hospital where she died. Her passenger, an 18-year-old male was seriously injured in the crash.
The 16-year-old driver of the SUV also suffered serious injuries in the crash. Villalbazo suffered minor injuries as did the driver of another SUV who struck debris following the crash.
Villalbazo has been charged with allowing an unauthorized person to drive, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell or distribute, and aggravated child abuse.