POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A driver died when the box truck they were taking through Polk County struck the rear of a tractor-trailer and caught fire early Wednesday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash occurred around 2 a.m. near the 11.5 milepost on State Road 570, troopers said.
According to a preliminary FHP crash report, the box truck was traveling eastbound behind a tractor-trailer being driven by a 51-year-old Tampa man. The tractor-trailer’s speed was reduced while the box truck’s was not, causing the box truck to strike the rear of the tractor trailer, the report states.
Both vehicles came to final rest in the outside lane of SR 570 and the box truck erupted in flames, troopers said.
The driver of the box truck died at the scene of the crash while the Tampa man in the tractor-trailer was not injured, according to the report.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
Note: This map depicts the general area of the crash and not necessarily its exact location.
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