ALTURAS, Fla. — A man found dead in a fiery crash in Polk County has prompted an investigation by the Polk County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Unit.
At around 7 a.m., Polk County sheriff's deputies and Polk County Fire Rescue responded to a report of a car up in flames on State Road 60 about a mile east of Alturas Road, the sheriff's office said.
Firefighters were able to extinguish the flames coming from the 2021 Toyota Corolla and found the driver dead inside. The driver was the only person in the car.
Witnesses told deputies that the driver was headed westbound on SR-60 in the left lane when he drifted into the grass median. The driver overcorrected causing the car to turn, cross both westbound lanes and strike a tree then catch fire. Deputies said witnesses' accounts match evidence found at the scene as well.
The car was registered to 26-year-old David Disimile of Temple Terrace and his family has been notified. Deputies believe Disimile was the driver involved in the deadly crash but a formal autopsy will be conducted for positive identification.
Westbound SR-60 was closed in the area of the crash for about three hours while emergency crews were on the scene. The lanes have since been reopened.
