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Head-on crash in Polk County critically injures driver

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Published  July 29, 2025 1:04pm EDT
Polk County
FOX 13 News

The Brief

    • The Polk County Sheriff's Office says a head-on crash early Tuesday left a driver with critical injuries.
    • Deputies say the driver of a Ford Escape crossed into oncoming traffic, colliding with a Jeep Wrangler.
    • The driver of the Escape was not wearing a seat belt and was airlifted to the hospital, according to deputies.

LAKE WALES, Fla. - An early-morning crash left a man with critical injuries after Polk County deputies say he crossed into oncoming traffic and collided with a Jeep on Tuesday.

The backstory:

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the crash happened around 5 a.m. along SR 60 near Story Rd., east of Lake Wales.

Deputies say a 58-year-old man driving a Ford Escape was headed west and crossed into the eastbound lane, crashing head-on into a Jeep Wrangler.

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The driver of the Escape, who deputies say was not wearing a seat belt, suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to the hospital.

Investigators say the 25-year-old driver of the Jeep was not injured.

SR 60 was closed for about four hours during the investigation, according to deputies, but has since reopened.

The Source: This story was written with information from the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Polk County