A Lake Wales man and his 4-year-old son died Friday night after they were struck from behind by a pickup truck at a stoplight, authorities said.
Christopher Ivey, 38, and his son Jayden were sitting in a 2010 Ford Focus at a red light on Cypress Gardens Boulevard at Lake Ruby Drive in Winter Haven around 10:30 p.m., when a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado slammed into the back of the car, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said.
The impact propelled the car about 150 feet into a ditch. Witnesses stopped to render aid, but the father and son died at the scene. Both were properly restrained, and their air bags deployed, investigators said.
The wife and mother, Patresa Ivey was devastated when she heard the news.
"I just knew when I saw them all coming in my house, I just already knew that my baby and my husband were gone," she said.
The father and son were both wearing seat belts, but the other driver may have been impaired.
Investigators say they know Ivey was sitting at this red light before being rear ended and pushed into this ditch. What they don’t know is what led up to it and they’re hoping witnesses will come forward to answer some of those questions.
Ivey is asking anyone who witnessed the deadly crash to come forward.
"Please, please come forward because this could change everything. I’m never going to hug my son and my husband again. I’m never going to hear them tell me they love me ever again. And I just ask anybody who saw anything to just please help us," she said.
The pickup truck, driven by William Gainey, 61, of Lake Wales flipped onto its roof and traveled about 150 feet after the impact. Gainey was airlifted to Lakeland Regional Health with serious injuries. Investigators suspect he was impaired, the sheriff's office said.
Anyone who saw the crash is asked to contact the Polk County Sheriff's Office Traffic Unit at 863-298-6200.