1 dead, 2 injured after car strikes traffic pole in Lakeland: Police

LAKELAND, Fla. - One person died, and two others were injured after a car veered off the road and struck a traffic pole in Lakeland on Wednesday night.

According to the Lakeland Police Department, officers responded to a single-vehicle crash at around 10:58 p.m. on Wednesday on North Combee Road near the intersection of State Road 33.

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A 2010 Chrysler van was driving north on North Combee Road when, for unknown reasons, just before the intersection, the vehicle continued northwest onto the grassy shoulder and into a concrete traffic signal support pole. The vehicle came to rest against the pole.

According to LPD, they arrived with Polk County Fire Rescue and the Lakeland Fire Department to begin life-saving measures. 

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The front passenger was taken to Lakeland Regional Health with critical injuries, and the rear passenger was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.