POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A fatal crash involving a pickup truck and a semitruck shut down part of U.S. Route 27 in the Four Corners area of Polk County, according to the county Sheriff's Office.
The crash was reported at about 3 p.m. Friday on U.S. 27 between I-4 and Ronald Reagan Parkway.
Manuel Andrade was making a left turn in his semi southbound onto U.S. 27 when Alfonso Diaz-Gomez, 77, of Winter Garden ran his 1998 Chevy Silverado truck into the flatbed trailer portion of the semi, deputies said.
The truck caught fire after the impact.
Diaz-Gomez was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center with critical injuries. His wife, 74-year-old Juana Diaz, was in the passenger seat. She died at the scene.
Andrade was not injured.
One northbound lane of U.S. 27 was open at about 6 p.m., but traffic was still crawling in the area. Commuters are asked to take an alternate route if possible. The crash should be cleared by 8:15 p.m.
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