Lake Wales woman dies, passenger injured in collision with dump truck loaded with sand

A Lake Wales woman was killed Tuesday afternoon in a fatal crash with a dump truck loaded with sand.

Polk County deputies and Polk County Fire Rescue responded to a call about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday of a collision at Canal Road and Lake Mabel Loop Road in Lake Wales. Deputies found Minerva Cruz, 79, of Lake Wales, dead at the scene with two others injured.

Cruz was driving a 2011 silver Toyota Yaris when she stopped at stop sign on Canal Road, according to the Sheriff's Office. She attempted to turn left onto on Lake Mabel Loop Road, crossing into the path of a dump truck.

Oriol Bernal, 60, of Kissimmee was driving a 2020 Kenworth dump truck loaded with sand north on Lake Mabel Loop Road. Bernal swerved and braked in attempt to avoid striking Cruz, but was unable to do so. The dump truck tipped onto its passenger side off the roadway as result of the impact.

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Confessor Lopez, 77, of Lake Wales was sitting in the passenger seat of the Toyota Yaris. Lopez was taken to the hospital with critical injuries, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Bernal had minor injuries and was also taken to the hospital for treatment.

All individuals were wearing their seatbelts, according to the Sheriff's Office. The accident closed the roadway for about three hours.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lake Wales woman dies, passenger injured in collision with dump truck