FHP: 2 killed, 1 seriously injured in multi-vehicle crash on I-4 that closed highway for five hours

LAKELAND, Fla. - A 37-year-old man from Orlando and a 37-year-old woman from Davenport were killed Friday morning in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 4 in Lakeland, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Troopers said a 22-year-old man was driving a sedan westbound in the inside lane of I-4 at mile marker 33 around 10 a.m. on Friday. At the same time, a tractor-trailer was traveling westbound on I-4 in the center lane adjacent to the 22-year-old. The 22-year-old entered the center lane and the right side of his car collided with the left side of the tractor-trailer, according to the FHP.

The impact redirected the sedan to the center median where the vehicle collided with the cable barrier. The sedan continued over the cable barrier and into the eastbound lanes of I-4, troopers said.

At the same time, two other cars and another tractor-trailer were traveling eastbound on I-4 in the inside lane and the center lane. 

Once the 22-year-old entered the eastbound lanes of I-4, his sedan continued in a westward direction and collided nearly head-on with another sedan driven by a 37-year-old man. Upon impact, the sedan driven by the 37-year-old man propelled to a stop in the path of another car. That car then collided with the rear of another car, which overturned onto the outside shoulder, according to FHP.  

Troopers said a tractor-trailer then collided with the left side of the sedan driven by the 22-year-old man, traveled into the median, collided with the cable barrier, crossed the westbound lanes, entered the outside shoulder and collided with a fence. 

The 37-year-old man died at the scene and his passenger, a 37-year-old female was taken to a hospital where she died.

The 22-year-old suffered serious injuries as a result of the crash, troopers said.

The crash closed both directions of I-4 for five hours.