Ocala, Florida — An 18-year-old Florida teen was seriously injured Sunday night after a pickup truck involved in a crash struck him while he was getting a haircut in the median of a busy roadway as part of a TikTok video.
The teenager had reportedly set up the unusual filming session with two other men, ages 19 and 20, outside a shopping plaza in Ocala. Police said the group had been recording the haircut stunt near the 2500 block of SW College Road when a separate vehicle crash suddenly sent a pickup truck toward the area.
The incident happened at around 8:10 p.m., according to the Ocala Police Department.
Teen Was Getting Haircut in Road Median
According to police, the 18-year-old was sitting in a chair in the median while one of the other men gave him a haircut and the group recorded the scene for TikTok.
The stunt had reportedly started on the sidewalk before the group moved into the roadway median.
Witness Damian Fox said the two men who were not injured later told him they had chosen the median because they believed it would be safer than their original idea of setting up directly in the traffic lanes.
That decision still left the teenager dangerously close to moving traffic. At the time of the incident, a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck and a Lexus SUV collided nearby.
The impact sent the pickup toward the teenager, who was struck during the crash.
Teen Rushed to Hospital in Serious Condition
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene and transported the teenager to a local hospital. Police said he was listed in serious condition following the incident.
No other injuries were reported.
Investigators are still working to determine exactly what caused the collision between the Silverado and Lexus. Authorities said neither driver showed signs of intoxication.
The investigation remains ongoing as officials work to establish the sequence of events that led to the crash and the teenager being struck.
Witnesses Describe Chaotic Moments
The two men who were with the teenager recalled hearing tires screech shortly before the collision. One of them described the chaotic aftermath to witness Yaj Lerom, who later shared the account on Instagram.
“We were chillin’ right there, and I was givin’ my boy a haircut,” The man continued, “Next thing you know, I’m on the ground. We’re pancakes and flapjacks, flying,”
The bizarre circumstances of the incident quickly drew attention, particularly because the group had been recording content in an area exposed to passing traffic.
Witness Calls for Restrictions on Dangerous Stunts
Lerom said the incident left him shaken and raised concerns about the increasingly risky stunts some content creators attempt for attention online.
He acknowledged that creators sometimes put themselves in unusual situations for videos but said there should be a distinction between adventurous content and behavior that puts people in serious danger.
“I got goosebumps and I got them again. I get it every time I talk about it because it’s, being a content creator, I don’t want to sound hypocritical because I’m in some crazy places, but I’m not putting myself out there,” Lerom told a local news outlet.
He added:
“My thing was, young kids, something needs to be done. These accounts that are doing that need to be banned. They shouldn’t even be seeing these videos.”
Lerom also criticized people chasing online attention through dangerous stunts, saying, “the likes ain’t worth your life.”
Police Warn Against Roadway Stunts
The incident has also prompted a warning from local authorities. Ocala Police spokesperson Jeff Walczak made the department’s position clear:
“We would never advise this,”
The investigation continues, but the incident serves as another reminder of how quickly a social media stunt can become dangerous when it takes place near active traffic.
What may have been intended as a lighthearted video for TikTok instead left an 18-year-old hospitalized in serious condition after an unrelated vehicle crash turned a roadside filming session into a life-threatening situation.
What do you think about dangerous social media stunts like this? Should content creators face stricter rules when filming near active roads? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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