1 killed, another injured after Kia slams into semi-truck in Lake Wales: PCSO

A Bartow man was killed and a Winter Haven woman was injured early Wednesday morning after their car slammed into the back of a semi-truck on State Road 60, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

According to investigators, a 2022 Kia K5 was heading eastbound on SR 60 when it crashed into a 2026 Freightliner semi-truck.

What we know:

When authorities arrived on scene just after 3:20 a.m., they found the 32-year-old Kia driver dead and his 37-year-old passenger was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the semi-truck was not injured.

Authorities noted that while the Kia's airbags did deploy, the driver was not wearing a seatbelt.

SR 60 West was partially shut down as crews cleared the wreckage, but the roadway has since reopened.

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What we don't know:

At this point, it is unknown why the Kia hit the back of the semi-truck and none of the people involved have been identified.

The PCSO Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit is investigating the crash.

The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Lake Wales