Frosproof, Florida – This morning around 6:20 a.m., a Jeep Liberty being driven by 18-year-old Jorge Lara of Princeton Lane in Frostproof (known as the Little Sun Ray area) left Providence Avenue heading eastbound to turn onto US Hwy 27 going northbound, to go to Frostproof High School. His sister, 15-year-old Melanie Lara, was a passenger in the Jeep. She is also a student at Frostproof High.
As the Jeep began crossing the southbound lanes, it was struck by a white Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup truck heading southbound which was occupied by three adult males from Bartow and Winter Haven.
Both of the teenagers are deceased.
The three men in the truck have been transported to area hospitals and are expected to survive.
The School Board has been notified and I’m told grief counselors are going to the school this morning. PCSO also has chaplains and victim advocates at the scene with the family.
The crash is still under investigation.
US Hwy 27 southbound will be closed for the next several hours. Traffic is being re-routed via Otto Polk Road. The northbound lanes are open.
