They were on a test drive outside a car dealer in Florida. Then came tragedy, cops say
A trip to shop for a new car ended in tragedy in Winter Haven, Florida, over the weekend.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, a 76-year-old passenger on a test drive was killed outside a Nissan dealership on Cypress Gardens Boulevard.
The sheriff’s office says the driver was an 86-year-old man who had turned into the path of an oncoming car just as he was returning to the dealer, Hill Nissan.
The crash happened at around 5:40 p.m. Saturday. Jean Worme, from Davenport, died immediately. The driver had minor injuries. The car salesperson from the dealership, who had accompanied them on the drive, was not hurt.
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Investigators said the man, Clifford Worme, was just about to return the 2023 Rogue SUV and made a left turn in front of the oncoming vehicle. That driver was unharmed, the sheriff’s office added.
The two share the same address, but their relationship is unclear, according to a spokesperson for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Pictures in front of the dealership show the Rogue overturned, surrounded by police tape, and just feet away from the dealership. Westbound lanes were shut down for around four hours.
Everyone in the car were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, the sheriff’s office said.
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This story was originally published November 28, 2022 at 10:20 AM.
