Lutz Woman, 71, Critically Injured In 4-Vehicle Crash

LAKE WALES, FL — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a four-vehicle collision in Lake Wales that left several people injured, including a 71-year-old woman from Lutz.

According to the agency, a blue Volvo semi, a black Kia Rio and a white semi were heading west on State Road 60 in that order around noon on May 15. As the line of three vehicles moved west in the area near County Road 630, the blue semi began braking for traffic ahead, an email from the sheriff’s office said.

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The driver of the Kia also slowed. The driver of the white semi began braking, but the brakes locked up, causing the semi to rear-end the Kia. The impact forced the Kia off the road and into a drainage ditch, the sheriff’s office said.

After hitting the Kia, deputies say the white semi veered into the eastbound lane, jackknifed and was struck by a Jeep Grand Cherokee that was heading eastbound.

The driver of the blue semi, Sergey Zhuklevich, 53, of North Port was not injured. The Kia’s driver, Shannon Reid, 22, of Vero Beach suffered non-life threatening injuries, authorities say. The white semi’s driver, Gil Samuel Ramirez-Cabrera, 53, of Tampa, suffered minor injuries.

The Jeep’s driver, Antoinette Marren, 71, of Lutz was critically injured in the crash. She was airlifted to Osceola Regional Medical Center, the sheriff’s office said.

The crash closed the roadway to traffic for several hours on Monday.

Charges are pending the outcome of the agency’s investigation. No further information is available at this time.

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Photo courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office