Officials have identified the two people killed in a head-on crash that closed a stretch of State Road 60 in Lake Wales Wednesday morning.
According to the sheriff's office, two people were killed in the crash that involved a vehicle and a semi tractor-trailer. Deputies said preliminary information indicated the vehicle crashed head-on into the truck, resulting in a fire.
The driver of the 2010 dark gray Lexus was Walter Griffith, 83, from Pompano Beach and the driver of the semi-tractor trailor was Michael Sprouse, 53, from Polk City, deputies said. Both men died at the scene of the crash from their injuries.
Officials have identified the men based on circumstantial information and confirmation that both men were missing and known to have been driving the vehicles.
The crash happened just after 6 a.m. and prompted officials to close the highway at Kissimmee Shores Road.
State Road 60 was back open almost eight hours later. The Polk County Sheriff's Office said damage to the roadway reduced it to one lane in both directions for about a quarter of a mile between Indian Lake Estates and County Road 630.
Earlier, officials said the roadway could be closed for as long as 10 hours and advised drivers to use Walk-in-Water Road as an alternate route.
Crews are working to repair the damaged road and expect to have all the lanes open Thursday.