1 dead, 4 hospitalized after head-on crash in Lakeland: Police

A head-on crash in Lakeland, Florida, on Saturday night resulted in the death of 50-year-old Maurice Knight and left four others injured. The Lakeland Police Department reported that the accident occurred around 9 p. m. when Knight's silver Toyota sedan veered off State Road 33 and collided with a northbound black Toyota pickup truck. Witnesses and first responders described the scene as chaotic, with emergency personnel performing life-saving measures on Knight, who unfortunately did not survive.

The driver of the pickup truck and three passengers, including a young child, were taken to Lakeland Regional Health with injuries that were not life-threatening. The crash led to a partial closure of the roadway for about four hours as police conducted their investigation. Authorities are looking into the circumstances leading up to the collision and have encouraged anyone with information to reach out to Traffic Crash Investigator Officer Camilo Almeida. This incident highlights ongoing concerns about road safety in the area.