9 hurt in chain-reaction crash that included truck dragging people, Florida cops say

A chain-reaction crash became even more terrifying for the survivors when a pickup truck came out of the dark minutes later and started a second series of crashes, according to investigators in Florida.

In all, five adults and four juveniles were hurt, including two people who were dragged along the road by the truck, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.

The initial crash happened around 8:20 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22, on the two-lane Alturas Babson Park Cutoff Road south of Lake Wales, officials said.

“Detectives believe the chain of events started when a 2010 Dodge Ram crossed over the center line and collided with a 2019 Ford F-150 pickup, and then a 2013 Ford Explorer,” the sheriff’s office said.

“Following that crash, some of the occupants exited their vehicles. A 2017 Chevy Silverado traveled onto the scene and collided with the Ford Explorer, causing the Explorer to rotate and strike three victims. The Chevy Silverado then struck two other victims and dragged them both for a short distance.”

Ten people were involved and only the driver of the Silverado escaped injury, officials said.

Two remain hospitalized with life-threatening injuries, officials say. Among the four girls involved (ages 9 to 15) is a 13-year-old who was badly injured, officials say. All four were passengers in the same vehicle, officials said.

An investigation is ongoing and no charges or citations had been filed as of Sept. 23, officials said.

Lake Wales is about a 60-mile drive east of Tampa.

This story was originally published September 23, 2024 at 3:11 PM.