BARTOW, Fla. — An 18-year-old college student died after being ejected from his truck during a crash Friday evening in Bartow, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
David Watson, 18 of Winter Haven, was driving a 2004 white GMC Canyon south on U.S. 17 in the outside lane. Deputies said Watson went to the inside lane in order to pass another car but instead entered the grass median and lost control of the truck.
Watson's truck continued sliding through the grass median and rotated counter-clockwise before continuing into the northbound lanes of U.S. 17.
As this was happening, the 48-year-old driver of a 2014 black Dodge 3500 pulling an enclosed trailer was going northbound on U.S. 17. As Watson lost control of his truck and slid into the northbound lanes, the Dodge's driver tried to avoid the collision.
But it wasn't enough, deputies said. Watson's truck collided with the front of the other driver's truck.
Upon impact, Watson — who deputies said was not wearing a seatbelt — was ejected from his truck. The truck then traveled back into the grass median where it stopped.
The other driver's truck stopped on the roadway's east shoulder.
Watson was rushed to the hospital where he died. Deputies said he was a student attending Travis Technical College.
The other driver, who was from Orlando, had minor injuries. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and released. His passenger was not hurt. Deputies say the man didn't appear to be impaired or speeding at the time of the crash.
The northbound lanes of U.S. 17 were shut down for several hours at the crash site, on U.S. 17 between Radford and James roads but have since reopened. Deputies say their investigation is ongoing.