LAKELAND – A tragic crash on Interstate 4 claimed three lives Sunday afternoon and left a child injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred around 4:25 p.m. when a Toyota SUV driven by a 60-year-old Tampa man was traveling eastbound on I-4. Investigators say the driver lost control, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and strike a tree on the south shoulder.

The SUV then traveled up an embankment leading to SR-570, struck a guardrail, vaulted over the eastbound lanes, hit another tree, and overturned.

The driver and two passengers, an 83-year-old woman and a 60-year-old woman, all from Tampa, died at the scene. A six-year-old girl riding in the vehicle suffered minor injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital.

Polk County Fire Rescue and Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene. The investigation into the cause of the crash remains ongoing.

On Monday, September 22, 2025, detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested 67-year-old Theresa Salerno at Lake Gibson High School in Lakeland after an investigation revealed she stole prescription medication belonging to a student.

The investigation began on September 18, 2025, when school administrators reported a possible theft of a student’s medication. The school principal informed detectives that a student’s prescription bottle, originally containing 30 pills, had been brought in that morning by the child’s mother and counted in the presence of the school nurse. The bottle was then placed on Salerno’s desk. When the nurse later retrieved the bottle, nine pills were missing.

Detectives reviewed school surveillance footage and observed Salerno picking up the bottle and walking out of camera view. When she returned, she placed the bottle back on the desk while holding her other hand in a cupped position, appearing to be holding something.

Detectives attempted to contact Salerno, but she had left for a scheduled vacation. Upon her return to work on September 22, she admitted to removing pills from the bottle. Salerno claimed she intended to look up the medication to make sure they were the right pills.

Salerno was arrested and charged with Grand Theft of a Controlled Substance (F3). 

“This woman stole medication that was prescribed to a child. There is absolutely no excuse for that. We expect school employees to protect children, not steal from them. She knew better, and now she’ll be held accountable.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff.

Please direct any inquiries about Salerno’s employment to Polk County Public Schools.