BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — A portion of Cortez Boulevard was shut down Tuesday night in Hernando County for a criminal investigation involving a deadly crash in a stolen car, the sheriff's office confirms.
There was an initial crash just before 9 p.m. at Cortez Boulevard and Kettering Road. Troopers say a 29-year-old man was driving a GMC Sierra eastbound on Cortez Boulevard when he lost control and crashed into the median.
A 35-year-old woman saw the crash and pulled over to help. That's when a man walking by stole her car, a Chevy HHR, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Authorities say the driver of the stolen car continued west down Cortez Boulevard, crossed over the median and collided head-on with a tractor-trailer about three miles away at Goodway Drive. He died at the scene.
The driver of the tractor-trailer suffered minor injuries.
The eastbound lanes of Cortez Boulevard were closed from Hadley Drive to High Corner Road for several hours but have since reopened.
