MULBERRY, Fla. -- Mulberry High School and the rest of the community are mourning the loss of two students following a fatal crash with a semi-truck over the weekend.
Polk County deputies say the crash happened at Highway 37 and State Road 640 in Mulberry around 4 a.m. Sunday.
Kenneth Haney, 17 was reportedly driving on Hwy 37 with passenger Chad Hall, 18 when he failed to stop, running into the back of a semi-truck that was stopped at a red light, according to deputies.
Deputies say Haney was declared dead at the scene and Hall was in critical condition.
Speeding or impairment were not considered factors in the crash, but police say they saw no signs of braking during their investigation. Both Haney and Hall were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
Deputies announced Hall's death Monday afternoon.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Kenny and Chad. Polk County Schools released the following statement following the crash:
“We are devastated by the tragic deaths of Chad Hall and Kenny Haney.
Chad had boundless energy and a great sense of humor. He was always cracking jokes. He was a very loving and caring soul— a loyal friend, player, and student.
Kenny was passionate about everything he did. He always gave 100 percent of himself to his sports and his friends. He was outgoing, with blue eyes and a bright smile. He was proud to be a Panther.
We will continue to have counselors available for Mulberry High students and staff.”
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