Teen seriously injured after social media stunt in Ocala ends in crash, police say
Teen seriously injured after social media stunt crash, police say
An 18-year-old man was seriously injured after a social media stunt in the median of a busy Ocala roadway ended with a pickup truck crashing into the group, police said.
OCALA, Fla. - An 18-year-old man was seriously injured after a social media stunt in the median of a busy Marion County roadway ended with a pickup truck crashing into the group, police said.
Crash happened during social media video
The backstory:
The crash happened shortly after 8 p.m. Sunday on Southwest College Road (State Road 200), where Ocala police said three young men, ages 18, 19 and 20, had set up a chair in the center median to record a video of one friend cutting another's hair.
Investigators said a westbound Chevrolet Silverado collided with a Lexus SUV that was turning left onto College Road from Ocala West Plaza. The impact sent the Silverado into the median, striking the 18-year-old who was seated for the haircut.
The victim was taken to a hospital in serious condition.
Police are investigating what caused the collision and are reviewing video footage to determine whether either driver ran a red light. Authorities are also asking anyone who witnessed the crash or has video to contact investigators.
Witnesses describe chaotic scene
What they're saying:
Witness Yaj Lerom said he arrived shortly after the crash.
"I pray for the kid who got hit and his family," Lerom said.
He spoke with the young men involved and recorded the conversation on his cellphone.
"We were chillin' right there, and I was givin' my boy a haircut," the barber told Lerom.
The videographer said he remembered hearing tires screeching before the crash.
"Next thing you know, I'm on the ground. We're pancakes and flapjacks, flying," he said.
Another witness, Damian Fox, said the videographer appeared shaken after the crash and told him the group had initially considered recording the video in the roadway before deciding to move to the center median because they believed it would be safer.
"I don't think he realized the severity of it at first.
Fox said he had seen the group performing the same stunt on a nearby sidewalk just minutes before the collision.
Social media trend raises safety concerns
Ocala police said they do not recommend filming videos in or near roadways.
"We would never advise this," police spokesperson Jeff Walczak said.
Lerom urged others not to imitate similar online trends.
"Don't put your life or anybody's life at risk for the likes. It's not worth it," he said.
Videos posted on social media have shown people recording roadside barber shop skits, including some in or near traffic lanes. FOX 35 News has reached out to TikTok for comment.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Ocala Police Department and from interviews with witnesses Yaj Lerom and Damian Fox.