POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Three people were killed Sunday evening in a four-vehicle crash north of Polk City.
The collision occurred on Commonwealth Avenue when a driver attempting to pass a line of traffic struck two motorcycles head-on.
Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 15000 block of State Road 33 at approximately 8:26 p.m.
Two motorcyclists were pronounced dead at the scene and a third victim died after being transported to a hospital.
According to investigators from the Traffic Homicide unit, the two motorcycles involved were a black 2022 Harley Davidson and a red and black 2017 Harley Davidson.
The bikes were operated by a man and a woman from Florida’s Sun Coast area who were traveling side-by-side in the southbound lanes. Officials are withholding their names until next of kin can be notified.
Witnesses told deputies that a red 2013 Dodge Charger traveling north attempted to pass three vehicles by entering the southbound lane.
As the Dodge reached the front of the line of traffic, it struck both oncoming motorcycles head-on. The driver of the Dodge was identified as 75-year-old Richard Lee Logan of Clermont.
Logan was transported to a local hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
A passenger in the Dodge, 75-year-old Janice M. Logan, reportedly suffered only minor injuries in the collision. During the impact, the male motorcyclist was ejected from his vehicle and struck a white 2011 Jeep Compass.
The Jeep was one of the northbound vehicles that the Dodge Charger was attempting to pass at the time of the crash.
The driver of the Jeep Compass was not injured and remained at the scene to cooperate with the investigation.
Because of the scale of the collision and the amount of debris, authorities closed Commonwealth Avenue for approximately four-and-a-half hours while detectives processed the scene.
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing.
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