POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A two-vehicle crash near Lake Wales on Monday night resulted in the deaths of two Bartow men.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Polk County Fire Rescue responded to the scene at approximately 9:38 p.m. The crash occurred at the intersection of State Road 60 West and West Lake Wales Road, about three miles west of Lake Wales.
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Upon arrival, first responders discovered two deceased men inside a white 2002 Chevy 2500 work van. The driver was 24 years old, and the passenger was 35 years old. Both were residents of Bartow.
The driver of the other vehicle, a 42-year-old man from Port Richey, was operating a 2023 Freightliner Cascadia truck. He was uninjured and declined medical attention at the scene.
A preliminary investigation, based on evidence and witness accounts, indicates that the Chevy van was traveling north on West Lake Wales Road and failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection with SR 60. The van then entered the intersection, directly into the path of the eastbound Freightliner.
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The intersection was closed to traffic for approximately five and a half hours while investigators processed the scene. The crash remains under investigation, but at this time, no criminal or civil charges are anticipated.
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