Quick Facts:
Where: The accident occurred on Highway 98 near Lakeland in Polk County, Florida.
What Happened: A dump truck allegedly lost control and crossed over the center line of the roadway where it struck a box truck in the oncoming lanes.
Participants:
- Driver of box truck
- Passenger in box truck
- Joshua Waters, diver of dump truck
Reported Injuries/Fatalities:
- Driver of box truck, 44, killed
- Passenger in box truck, 18, injured
Details:
On or about Tuesday, December 28th, 2021, an alleged DUI accident between a dump truck and a box truck left a 44-year-old man dead and sent his 18-year-old son to the hospital. Troopers from the FHP said the accident was reported along Highway 98 just outside Lakeland in Polk County, Florida.
Authorities from the Florida Highway Patrol said an as-of-yet unidentified 44-year-old man was killed and his 18-year-old passenger were injured when a dump truck allegedly control and crossed over the center line of Highway 98 when it slammed into the box truck they were in. Paramedics pronounced the 44-year-old driver of the box truck dead after the accident, while the 18-year-old passenger was taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries stemming from the accident.
Police identified the driver of the dump truck as 34-year-old Joshua Waters, who currently faces charges of DUI Manslaughter, DUI Crash with Serious Bodily Injury, DUI, and Resisting in connection with the accident.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene of the accident to assist.