7-Year-Old Girl Struck By Pickup In Polk County

LAKE WALES, FL -- A 7-year-old Lake Wales girl was in guarded condition Friday after the bicycle she was riding on was struck by a Ford F-350 near Lake Wales, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

Jeremisa Wade of Lake Wales was airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital following the Thursday night crash, according to the agency's Brian Bruchey who said the incident happened around 6:50 p.m. on Highlands Drive near Grove Road 1.

The child was not wearing a safety helmet at the time.

The driver of the 2018 Ford was identified as 48-year-old Jose Mejia-Hernandez of Lake Wales, who remained at the scene of the crash.

"Preliminary investigation shows that Mejia-Hernandez had been driving north on Highland Drive when the girl rode her bike into the path of the truck," said Bruchey.

He added that the driver showed no signs of impairment but that the crash remains under investigation.