Troopers Report One Fatality and Four Injured in Sumter County Accident

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. – An accident on State Road 471 in Sumter County early Friday morning resulted in the death of a Lakeland woman and injuries to four others, as reported by the Florida Highway Patrol.

The incident took place around 1:20 a.m., just south of County Road 788. A 24-year-old woman from California was driving a Mercedes-Benz SUV southward on S.R. 471, while a 26-year-old man from Lakeland was heading north in a Nissan Titan, which was pulling an enclosed utility trailer.

The preliminary crash report from the FHP indicated that, for reasons yet to be determined, the Mercedes-Benz was in the northbound lane, leading to a nearly head-on collision with the Nissan.

A 52-year-old woman from Lakeland, who was a passenger in the Mercedes-Benz, was declared dead at the scene. The driver of the SUV and another passenger, a 54-year-old woman from California, sustained serious injuries and were transported to a medical facility.

The driver of the Nissan from Lakeland, along with his passenger, a 57-year-old man also from Lakeland, sustained minor injuries and were taken to the hospital, according to the troopers.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Note: This map depicts the general area of this crash and not necessarily an exact location.