LAKE WALES, FL – A two-vehicle crash occurred east of Lake Wales on Saturday, March 7, 2026, and resulted with the death of one of the drivers.
Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched at about 11:35 am to State Road 60 at County Road 630, following the report of a crash between a blue 2012 Ford Fusion and a white 2019 Peterbilt semi-truck.
Upon arrival of first responders, the driver of the semi-truck was found uninjured. The driver of the Ford had life-threatening injuries and had to be extricated from his car. Once removed, he was taken to a hospital but passed away after arriving.
The driver of the Ford was identified as Christopher Joseph Morante, II of Barefoot Bay in Brevard County. He was 22-years old.
According to the preliminary investigation, the Ford had been driving north on CR 630, and had made a right turn (east) onto SR 60. Almost immediately, Morante attempted a U-turn to go west on SR 60, and in doing so, the Ford crossed into the path of the eastbound semi-truck.
The crash debris caused SR 60 to be closed in both directions, but PCSO deputies were able redirect one lane on each side to allow traffic to flow around the crash scene. The roadway was completely reopened after approximately four hours.
The crash remains under investigation.
SOURCE: POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
