A 38-year-old Lakeland man was killed Monday morning, October 12, in a head-on collision involving a pickup truck and a semi-truck on State Road 62 in eastern Manatee County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred around 9 a.m. west of Saffold Road when the Lakeland man, driving a Chevrolet Silverado westbound on State Road 62, crossed the center line into the eastbound lane and collided with an oncoming Peterbilt semi-truck, troopers reported.
The impact forced both vehicles off the roadway and into nearby ditches. The pickup truck driver was ejected from his vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
The semi-truck caught fire after leaving the roadway. Its driver, a 56-year-old man from Mulberry, suffered serious injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
State Road 62 was closed for several hours near Saffold Road following the collision as emergency crews responded, investigators examined the scene, and crews worked to clear the wreckage.
The identities of the drivers have not been released in the information provided.
The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision.