WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – An early morning accident on Sunday, claimed the life of an 5-year-old Winter Haven boy and a 70-year-old man also from Winter Haven.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, a car driven by a 27-year-old Winter Haven man was traveling southbound on Lucerne Park Road, north of Avenue Y NE. A second car driven by a 70-year-old man from Winter Haven was traveling northbound on Lucerne Park Road. The 27-year-old man crossed the centerline of the two-lane roadway and collided nearly head-on with the second car.
After the impact, the two vehicles rotated to rest on the highway. The 70-year-old man suffered fatal injuries at the scene of the crash. Transported to an area hospital, the 5-year-old passenger in the first car died from injuries suffered during the crash. A second passenger, an 8-year-old boy suffered critical injuries in the crash and is still hospitalized.
Alcohol impairment is suspected on the part of 27-year-old man and charges are pending.