Young Driver Killed During a T-bone Collision on U.S. 98 in Polk County

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on April 27, 2022

Authorities with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office are currently working to determine the chain of events that led to a two-car crash which claimed the life of a 20-year-old woman last Friday morning on Colbert Road in Lakeland.

Preliminary collision reports from officers with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office indicated that it was approximately 10:15 a.m. on April 22, 2022, when 20-year-old Lisandra De La Caridad Hedman from Polk City was driving a Nissan Altima in the eastbound direction of Colbert Road. As she approached the street’s intersection with U.S. 98, 41-year-old Emily Rand Johnson from Bartow also entered the area driving a Jeep Wrangler from the southbound direction of U.S. 98.

Statements retrieved from witnesses at the scene said that although the 41-year-old driver had the right-of-way as both vehicles arrived at the intersection of U.S. 98 and Colbert Road, the 20-year-old driver of the Nissan Altima crossed into the southbound lane in an attempt to turn northbound onto U.S. 98. This decision positioned her vehicle in the direct path of oncoming traffic and the Jeep Wrangler crashed into the driver’s side of the Nissan Altima. The force of impact from the auto accident caused both vehicles to slide down the pavement for about 30 feet before finally coming to a halt along the shoulder of the road.

In addition to members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, local Lakeland emergency response teams arrived at the crash site to find that 20-year-old Lisandra De La Caridad Hedman had sustained severe life-threatening injuries during the collision and had already passed away. The driver of the Jeep Wrangler, 41-year-old Emily Rand Johnson, was transported to a nearby hospital for further medical assistance. She was released later that day.

The southbound lanes of the highway were closed for several hours while deputies gathered evidence and clean-up crews picked up debris from the fatal collision.

This accident is still under investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Since 1977, Lakeland personal injury lawyer James O. Cunningham has been a fierce advocate for families that have lost a loved one during an auto accident. If you would like to schedule a free 30-minute case evaluation, please submit your request through our website or call our office today at 877-FL-INJURY.

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.