A tragic collision in Bartow has resulted in the death of a 24-year-old woman who crashed her SUV into a semi-truck, leaving her young daughter injured. The accident occurred around 9:30 p.m. yesterday at the intersection of US Highway 17 and Ernest Smith Boulevard. WTSP reported that the woman was driving a 2013 Honda CRV when she failed to stop at a red light and collided with the rear of a 2019 Freightliner semi-truck.
The 2-year-old daughter, who was in the passenger seat during the crash, suffered what was believed to be minor injuries. Following the impact, which caused the vehicle to rotate 90 degrees and come to a halt in an turn lane, both the woman and her daughter had to be cut out from the SUV, as detailed by WTSP. The Polk County Fire Rescue team transported the critically injured mother to the hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
Authorities have confirmed that the toddler was airlifted to Tampa as a precaution due to her age. ABC Action News added that officials say her injuries appear very minor, and she is expected to make a full recovery. The driver of the semi-truck, a 36-year-old individual, was reported uninjured in the tragic sequence of events. According to information provided by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the road was closed for approximately four hours following the collision.
Family members, including the child's father, were promptly contacted to take custody of the young girl, as shared by multiple sources, including WFLA News. The ongoing investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office aims to unravel the full circumstances surrounding the crash, with all involved parties reported as properly restrained at the time of the incident. The identities of the involved parties have not been released as investigations are still underway.
