POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A single-vehicle crash on Commonwealth Avenue (State Road 33) early Monday morning claimed the life of one person and left another seriously injured, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO).
Deputies responded to the scene at approximately 1:54 am, about nine miles north of Polk City and roughly a quarter-mile north of Green Pond Road. Upon arrival, first responders discovered a 2018 Dodge Durango that had crashed.
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The driver of the SUV, identified as 28-year-old Logan M. Cole, a Lake Alfred woman, was found deceased on the roadway. The passenger, 33-year-old Ryan P. Armlin, also of Lake Alfred, sustained serious injuries and was transported by Polk County Fire Rescue to a local hospital for treatment.
Detectives from the PCSO’s Traffic Homicide Unit are investigating the crash. Their preliminary findings indicate that the Dodge Durango was traveling southbound on Commonwealth Avenue when it veered onto the shoulder. The driver reportedly overcorrected, causing a loss of control. The SUV then struck multiple trees before becoming engulfed in flames.
Authorities credit a passing motorist, 52-year-old Philip Jean-Baptiste of Clermont, with assisting at the scene. Jean-Baptiste reportedly arrived shortly after the crash and removed Armlin from the burning vehicle.
According to the PCSO, neither Cole nor Armlin appeared to have been wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal crash remains ongoing.
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