2 Dead, Bartow High Senior Critically Injured In Polk County Crash

POLK COUNTY, FL — Two people are dead and a Bartow High School senior just two weeks away from graduation is in critical condition following an early morning crash on State Road 60 in Willow Oak near Mulberry Tuesday.

According to Polk Sheriff Grady Judd, at 5:41 a.m., the 18-year-old Bartow High senior was driving a red pickup truck east on State Road 60 while a silver Ford Expedition containing seven members of a construction crew was headed west on State Road 60.

Judd said the Expedition turned south into the path of the pickup truck. Four people in the Expedition who were not wearing seatbelts were thrown out of the Expedition, landing in the road and on the shoulder.

One person in the Expedition died at the scene.

Judd said the Bartow High senior and a person riding in the Expedition were airlifted to Tampa General Hospital with critical injuries. Four others were taken by ambulance to Lakeland Regional Health Hospital where one has since died and another is undergoing surgery in critical condition.