The Eyrie

FROSTPROOF, FL — A pregnant 32-year-old woman and her unborn baby were killed in a five-vehicle crash in Frostproof on Saturday evening, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies said the wreck involved two semitrucks and three passenger vehicles at the intersection of U.S. 27 and U.S. 98.

The crash happened shortly after 5:30 p.m. in the northbound lanes of U.S. 27, where three vehicles were stopped at a red light. Investigators said a red 2022 International semi hauling a trailer failed to stop and struck the back of a Toyota Highlander at highway speeds, triggering a chain reaction that spread through the intersection.

Deputies say the SUV was hit hard before the truck kept going

According to the sheriff’s office, the force of the impact pushed the Highlander into a second semitruck that had been stopped in the left lane. The SUV then continued through the intersection and came to rest in the northeast corner, where deputies said it was heavily damaged.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigators said there was intrusion into the rear passenger compartment of the Highlander. The woman who died was sitting in the back seat and was taken to a local hospital after the collision, where she and her fetus later died.

Deputies said the International semi then hit the back of a Toyota Corolla, pushing that car into a Honda Civic stopped in front of it. After striking the Highlander and the Corolla, the semi veered northeast across the intersection.

Truck crossed a field and stopped in a ditch after the collision

The sheriff’s office said the semi continued about 400 feet through an open field before reaching a small road. It then hit a fence and came to rest with its front end in a shallow ditch.

Investigators said the people in all five vehicles appeared to have been wearing seat belts. The crash scene stretched across the intersection and nearby land, making the response more complicated for deputies and recovery crews.

Officials have not said whether any mechanical problem, speed issue or driver action contributed to the failure to stop. That remains part of the open investigation.

Michigan truck driver was treated and released after the wreck

The driver of the International semi was a 53-year-old man from Michigan, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies said he was not seriously injured and was treated at a hospital in the area before being released.

The most seriously injured survivor was the 37-year-old Avon Park woman who was driving the Corolla. She remained hospitalized in the latest update provided by investigators.

Other people involved in the crash were either still receiving treatment or had already been treated and released. Officials said those survivors were expected to recover.

U.S. 27 closed for about six hours during investigation and cleanup

The wreck shut down U.S. 27 for roughly six hours while deputies investigated and crews handled vehicle recovery and cleanup. The intersection sits along a busy stretch of roadway used by drivers moving through central Florida.

The sheriff’s office has not released the names of the victims or the truck driver. Investigators also have not determined why the semi driver failed to stop for traffic at the red light.

As of the latest update, the case remained under investigation by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

What investigators have said so far about the fatal crash

Deputies have described the collision as a five-vehicle crash involving two semitrucks, two Toyotas and a Honda. The sequence began when the International struck the Highlander and then continued through the intersection, hitting the Corolla before leaving the roadway.

Officials said the wreck led to a fatal outcome for the pregnant passenger and her unborn baby, while other people involved survived with injuries ranging from serious to minor. The sheriff’s office has not announced any charges or identified any contributing factor.

For now, the focus remains on reconstructing how the truck entered the intersection without stopping and how the chain reaction unfolded at the busy Frostproof crossing.