On August 5, 2025, at approximately 1:00 AM, a Dodge Charger, driven by 17-year-old Dylan Austin Richards of Inverness, was traveling southbound on Interstate 75 in Sumter County, Florida. The vehicle was operating recklessly at a high rate of speed, overtaking slower traffic. To avoid a collision, the driver took evasive action, veering onto the outside shoulder of the highway. The Charger struck a tree and caught fire.
Following the crash, Richards exited the vehicle, removed the license plate, and fled on foot. Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers and Sumter County Sheriff’s Deputies tracked him to a chicken coop at 633 NW 111th Lane, where he was apprehended. Richards sustained minor injuries.
The vehicle carried four passengers, all from Inverness: a 16-year-old male, who succumbed to his injuries at an area hospital; a 17-year-old male with minor injuries; a 13-year-old male with minor injuries; and a 15-year-old male with serious injuries. All were transported to local hospitals for treatment.
FHP arrested Richards on multiple felony charges, including Vehicular Homicide and Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death. The investigation remains ongoing.
Source: Florida Highway Patrol
