LAKELAND, Fla. — A man is dead and another man was hurt after a collision Thursday afternoon between a car and semi-truck, Lakeland police said.
According to police, the crash happened around 3:20 p.m. on New Tampa Highway, also known as U.S. 92, between County Line Road and Polk Parkway. Police said 40-year-old Gary Carmean of Indianapolis was driving his Toyota Camry eastbound on New Tampa Highway.
At the same time, a 39-year-old Lakeland semi-truck driver was driving westbound.
Then, for what police call "unknown reasons," Carmean left his travel lane and entered the westbound lane, colliding head-on with the semi. The impact of the crash caused the semi to overturn on its driver's side.
Lakeland police and Polk County and Lakeland fire rescue crews responded to the crash site and began life-saving measures. Carmean was rushed to Lakeland Regional Health, where he died, police said.
The semi-truck driver only suffered minor injuries, the department said.
The roadway was shut down for several hours as authorities investigated.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact Traffic Crash Investigator Officer Travis Payne at travis.payne@lakelandgov.net.
Editor's note: Police originally identified Carmean as being from Lakeland, Fla. The department has since issued a correction stating he is from Indianapolis and that update is reflected in our story.
