LAKELAND, FL – A late-night crash between a bicycle and a scooter in the Kathleen area of Lakeland left one man dead and another critically injured, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies and Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched at approximately 11:12 p.m. on Friday, June 26, to Cherry Road just north of Paul Brown Road following reports of a crash involving a bicycle and a scooter.
When first responders arrived, they found two adult men suffering from serious injuries. Both were transported to a local hospital.
The bicyclist sustained severe blunt force trauma and died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The scooter rider suffered head trauma and multiple lacerations and was last reported to be in critical condition.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the bicyclist was traveling north in the southbound lane of Cherry Road, while a blue 2018 Sanmen scooter was traveling south in the same lane. The two vehicles collided head-on.
Investigators said both the bicycle and scooter were equipped with lights, but it remains under investigation whether those lights were operational at the time of the crash. Neither man was wearing a helmet, according to PCSO.
Cherry Road remained closed for approximately three-and-a-half hours while members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit processed the scene. The investigation remains ongoing.
SOURCE: POLK COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
