Four Cars Involved in Fatal Polk County Crash

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on June 11, 2020

A collision between five cars happened within Polk County early in June that left one person dead and four others suffering from a range of severe injuries. According to the reports from the Florida Highway Patrol, the incident was first reported close to 6:30 on the morning of Thursday, June 4th. It is not known who placed the initial emergency calls to the authorities, although we do know that they arrived shortly after the calls were made, possibly allowing EMTs and paramedics much needed time with the crash victims and thus preventing even more fatalities.

The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation, but it was on the day mentioned above when the five cars were traveling down both the eastern and western lanes of US-98. One of the cars attempted to change lanes, apparently unaware what another vehicle was directly beside them. The two cars crashed, causing both of them to spin out of control and into the center median, which was made of thick cables.

After it struck the cables, one of the vehicles came to a halt. The other continued, apparently through the cables, and into the traffic traveling along the other side of the highway. The first vehicle to hit the out-of-control car was a pickup truck carrying at least three individuals. The pickup struck the spinning car nearly head-on. The pickup entered the center lane of the highway and came to a halt, whereupon a fourth vehicle became snarled in the carnage as it attempted to avoid the pickup.

A tractor-trailer nearly collided with all of the crashed cars, but the driver of the massive truck was able to apply the breaks swiftly enough to prevent an even more devastating scene.

As it was, a 22-year-old who was driving one of the initial cars involved suffered from fatal injuries as a result. They were declared dead at the scene. Four other people were also badly injured: the driver of the second car involved, two of the passengers within the pickup truck, and a passenger who was inside of the last car to crash.

The eastern lanes of I-4 were closed for several hours during the preliminary investigation into the fatal auto accident.

Sources:

• 1 dead, 4 with serious injuries after Polk County crash, troopers say

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.