4 injured, including deputy and state trooper, in I-4 wreck

POLK COUNTY, FL – The Florida Highway Patrol said a state trooper and a sheriff’s deputy were among four people injured in a crash on Interstate 4 in Polk County Friday night.

Fox 13 News reports the incident happened after a 17-year-old driver’s SUV became disabled and was in the shoulder of I-4 west at about 7:30 p.m. The FHP said a state trooper and a Polk County Sheriff’s deputy parked their vehicles behind the teenager’s vehicle with their emergency lights on. The teen and the trooper were standing outside their vehicles as a westbound tractor-trailer approached.

According to investigators, the driver of the tractor-trailer failed to change lanes as required by Florida’s ‘move over’ law and hit the deputy’s patrol cruiser as the deputy was trying to re-enter traffic. The cruiser was pushed back onto the shoulder, where it hit the 17-year-old, the trooper, and the trooper’s vehicle. The impact of the crash also sent the truck into another car, with both of those vehicles ending up in the center median.

The 17-year-old, the sheriff’s deputy, the trooper, and the driver of the car all sustained minor injuries. The tractor-trailer’s driver was not injured.

If you have been injured in a car accident caused by a reckless or negligent driver, the Lakeland Car Accident Lawyers with Kemp Law Group stand ready to fight on your behalf. We can guide you through every step of the legal process with the goal of securing the maximum amount of compensation — so you can focus on recovering from your injuries. To learn more about how we can help, get started with a free consultation by calling us at 727-325-5512.