POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A Tampa man was killed in a head-on collision with a semi-truck on Saturday in Polk County after trying to pass traffic in the oncoming lane, authorities said.
The crash occurred on U.S. Highway 98 North at Earnest Road at about 3:16 a.m.
Polk County Fire Rescue (PCFR) and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) both arrived on scene.
According to PCSO traffic homicide detectives, the semi-truck was driving northbound on U.S. 98 North while the victim’s 2020 Chevy Silverado was traveling south.
When the pickup truck driver attempted to pass another vehicle southbound, he entered the oncoming northbound lane and into the path of the semi-truck. The two vehicles then hit head-on.
The driver of the semi-truck and his passenger, both from Orlando, were uninjured during the crash.
The driver of the Chevy pick-up, a 36-year-old Tampa man, was killed instantly, Sheriff’s Office officials said.
'Cruise lights' on Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office patrol cars raise questions, confusion among drivers
Every driver knows that when you see red and blue flashing lights on a patrol car, you slow down, pull over, or get out of the way.
But in Hillsborough County, drivers will also now see deputies with their lights on, but not flashing. They're called "cruise lights," and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) recently implemented their use on all patrol vehicles.
