Florida trooper, Lakeland man and Ocala woman suffer serious injuries in crash

TAMPA, Fla. – A crash in an active construction zone on Interstate 275 in Tampa left a Florida Highway Patrol trooper, a Lakeland man and an Ocala woman with serious injuries early Saturday.

The wreck occurred around 4:43 a.m. on northbound I-275, just south of Interstate 4, troopers said.

According to a preliminary FHP crash report, “the left lanes” were closed in the area. A trooper in a marked patrol car with its emergency lights activated was stationary in the construction zone, assisting with the lane closures, troopers said.

A Kia Forte then ran over traffic cones and into the work zone, striking an arrow board before rear-ending the FHP patrol car, the report states.

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The driver of the Kia, who troopers said was “impaired” during the crash, was identified as a 24-year-old Lakeland man. His passenger was identified as a 25-year-old Ocala woman, according to FHP.

Both of the Kia’s occupants, as well as the trooper in the patrol car, were taken to a hospital for treatment of serious injuries, troopers said.

No other details have been shared at the time of this report.

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