Friday proved to be a deadly day on area roadways
Two people were killed and several were sent to area hospitals beginning at about noon Friday to the early morning hours of Saturday, according to several press releases issued by the Florida Highway Patrol overnight.
FHP released further details on the injury accident that occurred just before noon on U.S. 301 near the Palm Boulevard/Chin Road intersection.
A 34-year-old woman from Lakeland was traveling westbound on 301 and rear ended another vehicle carrying a 34-year-old Bradenton woman and a 62-year-old female passenger from Parrish. Witnesses on the scene reported speed as a factor when the Lakeland woman rear ended the second vehicle as it was slowing down near the intersection.
Alcohol was not a factor.
The Lakeland woman was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital while the 62-year-old Parrish woman was flown to Blake Medical Center with “critical injuries,” according to the report.
A single vehicle accident in Lee County on State Road 78 and North River Road killed 48-year-old Jason Walker, of Alva. The accident occurred at 1:50 a.m. when Walker lost control of his F-150 pickup and ran off the road onto the grass shoulder, according to the news release.
The vehicle rolled several times before ending up on its roof. Walker was killed when he was ejected. According to the report, alcohol was not a factor.
In Pinellas County on I-275 around 3 p.m. on Friday, a vehicle driven by a 17-year-old female with two young children was traveling northbound near mile marker 21 in the center lane with 52-year-old Marco Gonzalez-Vargas, of Riverview, driving a dump truck in the inside lane.
According to the report, the two vehicles collided and left the roadway. Gonzales-Vargas’s dump truck struck the median guardrail and a third vehicle in the southbound lanes and flipped. He died later at the hospital from his injuries.
a 62-year-old St. Petersburg woman was driving in the opposite direction causing the two northbound drivers to collide and leave the roadway.
The two children were transported to All Children’s Hospital, and the 17-year-old female was taken to Bayfront Hospital.
A 62-year-old St. Petersburg woman and another 17-year-old female in the vehicle were uninjured. Alcohol was not a factor in the fatal three-car accident involving six people.
At 2:44 p.m., in Polk County, a 43-year-old man was transported to Lakeland Regional Hospital after a hit-and-run driver turned into his path on U.S. 98, causing his vehicle to overturn, sliding for 150 feet. FHP named Bobbi Darlene Fats as a person of interest. Call 813-558-1800 if you have any information.
This story was originally published October 6, 2018 at 11:34 AM.