Two people were killed and several people were injured in a three-vehicle crash on Christmas Eve.
The head-on crash happened in the 11000 block of US 98 North, near Earnest Road in Lakeland. Two people died at the scene and three others were transported to area hospitals.
One victim sustained no injuries.
According to Lakeland police, a driver in a Kia Rio attempted to pass a Toyota pickup truck on southbound US 98 just before 7 a.m. At the same time, a third vehicle, a Mercury Sable, was northbound approaching the other two vehicles.
The Kia struck the left rear of the pick-up causing minor damage to the truck. At almost the same instant, the left front of the Kia and the left front of the Mercury collided at highway speeds. Both vehicles sustained severe front end damage.
April Louise Black, 43, the driver of the Rio and the adult male driver of the Mercury, died at the scene. Authorities have not released the man's name as of yet.
There were three passengers in the Mercury: 43-year-old Michelle Kraemer of Lakeland was the right front passenger. She was wearing her seatbelt. She suffered serious injuries and was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center.
Two juveniles were in the back seat of the Mercury, Kraemer’s 12-year-old daughter and Kraemer’s niece, 14. The 12-year-old was transported to Arnold Palmer Hospital in Orlando in critical condition. The 14-year-old was transported to Tampa General Hospital in serious condition.
It does not appear that either juvenile was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
US 98 was closed for approximately four hours in both directions as a result of the crash.
No criminal charges are anticipated but the investigation is ongoing.