A driver involved in an apparent road rage situation died after he and another driver collided and crashed into a vacant building at Cypress Avenue SE and US Hwy 98 South in Highland City near Lakeland, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Daniel Bagwell, 27, of Bartow, was impaled on a section of vinyl fence and died, deputies said.
Investigators said the whole situation began around 10:45 a.m. at the traffic light at the intersection of Clubhouse Road and Hwy 98.
Bagwell's silver Dodge 1500 pickup truck and a black Acura driven by Brondon Manning, 22, of Lakeland, were driving south on Hwy 98 when the drivers grew angry at each other and began changing lanes and swerving in front of each other, according to deputies. They then crashed into an old pediatric care center, where Bagwell was impaled on a white plastic fence, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said.
Manning suffered only minor injuries. As of late Friday afternoon, he was not facing charges. He could still be charged pending the outcome of the investigation, law enforcement said.
As of 2:30 p.m., Judd was unsure who the primary aggressor was. The traffic homicide unit is investigating, and deputies are interviewing the driver who survived.
"It happens because people don't respect each other," Judd said of the crash.
According to Judd, a little bag of what investigators suspect is meth was in Bagwell's pocket.
The fatal crash narrowly missed a home that had four people inside, including a grandfather, mother and two babies.
Investigators don't know how fast the two drivers were going.
“We have a needless fatality today," Judd said.
Deputies are searching for witnesses to the crash.
“But here’s a very important part, there were witnesses to this crash, but we don’t know who they are," Judd said. "They’ve apparently left the scene. We need those who apparently saw this erratic driving, reckless driving, this road rage, because we want you to help us put the different pieces of the puzzle together. We want to make sure we do a complete and thorough investigation.”
If you have any information that could help investigators, please call the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 863-534-6300. Or, click here to submit an anonymous tip online.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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