POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal crash from Sunday that may have involved street racing.
- Deadly crash may have involved street racing, sheriff's office says
- Jeep Wrangler crashed into power pole while speeding
- Passenger Shannon Oglesby died from injuries received
Investigators said a Jeep Wrangler and a motorcycle were revving their engines at the intersection of Highway 98 South and Autumnwood Grove Blvd., and when the light changed, they took off to the south.
Shortly after that the Jeep lost control and slammed into a large metal power pole. The driver Rodney Wimberly and passenger Shannon Oglesby were ejected and landed on the road.
Witnesses jumped in to help. One even used a tourniquet to try to control the bleeding from Oglesby’s badly injured leg. However, she later died. The sheriff’s office said Wimberly was in bad shape in the hospital.
Sheriff Grady Judd believes speed was a factor in the crash.
“At this stage in the investigation we have no idea how fast it was going. But it was too fast and he lost control,” Judd said.
Oglesby worked at Web Pro Realty in Lakeland. The company put a memorial to Oglesby on its Facebook page.
“We are just scrambling around here walking around the halls like zombies trying to figure out why it happened,” said owner Sean Harper.
He said Oglesby was a ray of light around the office.
Investigators are still hoping to track down the driver of the motorcycle. Sheriff Judd said the motorcycle was well ahead of the Jeep when it crashed.