Lakeland Police Investigate Single Vehicle Crash

<p><strong><span style="COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: ; FONT-SIZE: 12px">The Lakeland Police Department is investigating a single vehicle crash that occurred at 1200 West Lake Parker Drive at approximately 11:30 AM today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#0160; </span>Driver, Christopher Cruz, age 20,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#0160; </span>was southbound on West Lake Parker Drive coming out of a curve on wet roads when his 1999 Kia Sportage crossed into the northbound lane, jumped the curb, and impacted a palm tree causing injury to the driver and three occupants of the vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#0160; </span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: ; FONT-SIZE: 12px"></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: ; FONT-SIZE: 12px">The driver and two occupants received non-life threatening injuries. The right rear passenger, Christopher Estrada, age 19, was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center where he remains in critical condition with life threatening injuries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#0160; </span>Preliminary investigation indicates that Estrada was the only occupant in the vehicle not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.<span style="FONT-FAMILY: ; FONT-SIZE: 12px"></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: ; FONT-SIZE: 12px">The other two occupants of the vehicle were Angel Ramos, age 20, and Carl Crawford, age 19.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&#0160; </span>No citations have been issued at this time – this case is still under investigation.<span style="FONT-FAMILY: ; FONT-SIZE: 12px"></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: ; FONT-SIZE: 12px">Media inquiries should be directed to Sergeant Terri Smith, PIO, 863.834.6917. </span></span></strong></p> <p><strong><span style="COLOR: navy; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: ; FONT-SIZE: 12px">Sergeant Terri Smith</span></span></strong></p>