Two men were killed in a two vehicle crash Monday, December 16, 2024, about three miles west of Lake Wales.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched at around 9:38 pm, to the crash scene at the intersection of State Road 60 West and West Lake Wales Road.
First responders got on scene and found two men deceased in a white 2002 Chevy 2500 work van. The driver was 24-years old, and his passenger was 35-years old. Both men were from Bartow.
The other driver, a 42-year old Port Richey man, was driving a 2023 Freightliner Cascadia truck. The man suffered no injuries and declined medical attention.
The preliminary investigation, based on evidence and witness statements, indicated that the Chevy van had been travelling north on West Lake Wales Road and failed to stop for a stop sign at the intersection with SR 60. The van entered the intersection, into the path of the Freightliner which was traveling eastbound on SR 60.
The area around the intersection was closed to traffic for approximately five-and-a-half hours.
The crash remains under investigation, but no criminal or civil charges are expected.
