Brooksville Crash Downs Power Lines, Sends One Person to Hospital

A single-vehicle crash on Citrus Way just north of Budowski Road pulled down multiple utility poles and live power lines, sending one person to a Brooksville-area hospital and forcing a full road closure while Hernando County Fire Rescue and Duke Energy crews worked to secure the hazard zone.

The crash, reported April 1, left Citrus Way completely blocked as first responders established a perimeter around the downed infrastructure. HCFR warned drivers to expect significant delays and gave no immediate timeline for when the road would reopen.

Duke Energy was called in after responders confirmed the extent of the pole and line damage. That coordination is where the hidden cost of crashes like this compounds quickly: utility workers cannot allow vehicle traffic or begin cleanup until downed lines are confirmed de-energized, a handoff between fire crews and the utility that can stretch a standard accident scene from minutes into hours. No estimate of affected customers or a restoration window had been released as of the initial HCFR report.

One occupant of the crashed vehicle was transported to a local hospital, though HCFR did not release information on that person's condition. It also remained unclear at the time of the initial report whether additional occupants were in the vehicle.

Drivers who use the Citrus Way corridor north of Budowski Road were advised to avoid the area and seek alternate paths while the scene remained active. HCFR said additional details on the crash, the road status and the patient's condition would be released as they became available. Residents monitoring the situation can follow Hernando County Fire Rescue for official updates as Duke Energy completes its assessment and repair work.