Citrus County, FL — April 9, 2025, a man was killed following a water tanker accident in a construction zone along State Highway 44.

According to authorities, a 44-year-old man from Inverness was traveling in a GMC Sierra in the outside westbound lane of State Highway 44 approaching the South Redbud Terrace intersection when the accident took place.

The cause of the accident remains unclear. Officials indicate that, for as yet unknown reasons, the Sierra failed to maintain control, colliding with the rear-end of a westbound water tanker that was in the process of watering a grass median from the inside lane in a construction zone. It apparently did have its warning lights activated at the time.

The man from the GMC reportedly sustained fatal injuries over the course of the accident and was declared deceased at the scene. Additional details pertaining to this incident—including the identity of the victim—are not available at this point in time. The investigation is currently ongoing.

Commentary by Attorney Michael Grossman

When a motorist crashes into the rear of a slow-moving water tanker in a construction zone and loses their life, it’s tempting to treat it as a straightforward case of a driver not paying attention. But in my experience, crashes like this almost always involve more complexity than that—and when commercial or municipal vehicles are operating in active traffic, that complexity deserves serious examination.

The first question that should be asked is whether the water tanker was positioned and operating in a way that gave surrounding drivers a reasonable opportunity to respond. According to reports, the truck had its warning lights on, which is a start—but warning lights alone don’t guarantee safety. Was the vehicle marked appropriately for work within an active lane of travel? Was there a lead or follow vehicle providing additional notice to oncoming traffic? In many construction zones, it's standard practice to use escorts, signage, or cones to give drivers advanced warning of slow-moving or stopped equipment.

Another critical point is visibility and closure speed. A water tanker operating at or near a walking pace—especially one spraying water onto a median—can be difficult to judge in terms of distance and speed. If a driver approaching at highway speed doesn't realize just how slow the vehicle ahead is moving, they may not have enough time to slow down, even if they’re alert. That kind of mismatch between traffic flow and work zone activity should raise questions about how the operation was planned and whether it was safely executed.

If the water truck was operated by a private contractor or a municipal department, the organization behind it may also bear responsibility. Was the vehicle’s operation reviewed and approved as part of a larger traffic control plan? Was the driver trained specifically for working in active lanes of travel? These are the kinds of behind-the-scenes factors that can make all the difference in whether a construction zone is safe—or set up in a way that puts road users at risk.

From where I sit, a fatal crash like this shouldn’t be written off as an unfortunate outcome of driving near a work site. It should prompt a detailed review of how the work zone was managed, how the truck was operated, and whether this was an isolated mistake or part of a broader pattern of poor safety planning. Only by asking those questions can the right parties be held accountable and those affected by the wreck receive the clarity and closure they deserve.