Sweeper driver killed in Polk crash

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The driver of a street sweeper was killed after rear-ending a dump truck in rural Polk County this morning.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the truck was stopped to turn left from Old Grade Road into the Hilochee Wildlife Management Area, a few minutes before 9 a.m.  That’s when the street sweeper failed to stop and slammed into the back of the truck.

The sweeper caught fire after the crash. The driver, later identified by FHP as 44-year-old Darwin Gordon Phillips of Leesburg, died at the scene.

The driver of the truck was not hurt.