A driver was killed Monday afternoon when he lost control of his pickup truck in Bartow, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.
Deputies were called to U.S. Highway 98 near Ernest Smith Boulevard about 2:10 p.m.
According to a report, A 2000 Ford F150, driven by Ralph Hightower, 80, of Lakeland, was southbound on U.S. 98 when, for unknown reasons, the truck went into the median. Hightower overcorrected toward the roadway, then back toward the median,
The truck began to spin across the median, then rolled at least once. The truck landed right-side up in the northbound lanes, blocking all three lanes.
Hightower died at the scene. Passenger Glenn Hamilton, 57, of Lakeland, received minor injuries. He was taken to Bartow Regional Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
Both occupants were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Impairment, excessive speed and driver distraction are not suspected. Northbound US 98 was closed about 3 hours.
