Lake Wales, FL (October 24, 2020) - Three people were killed following a multi-vehicle accident on State Road 60 in Lake Wales. The crash happened around 10:30 p.m. on Friday near County Road 630 and Indian Lake Estates.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office responded to the accident scene. According to police, 83-year-old Phillip Penatello of Hobe Sound was traveling in the eastbound lanes at a high rate of speed. Penatello attempted to pass a vehicle in a no-passing zone. As he traveled into the westbound lanes he collided with two vehicles nearly head-on before striking a Nissan Altima head-on. Penatello died in the crash, along with three passengers in the Altima, including 45-year-old Veruska Salvador and an 11 and 12-year-old child. The driver of the Altima, 42-year-old Wagner Salvador, sustained critical injuries.

The crash caused the roadway to be closed for nearly six hours. There are no charges pending at this time.

According to statistics, fatal car accidents in Florida take place about once every three hours. Florida is a dangerous place for motorists, with one of the highest rates of fatal accidents in the country. Drivers should remember to always use caution and to follow all traffic and safety laws while on the roadway. Doing so can greatly reduce the risk of a crash, although not all accidents can be avoided due to the prevalence of negligent drivers on our roadways.

Rubenstein Law is dedicated to serving individuals & families injured by the negligence of others. We know first-hand the heartbreak that can be left behind after an accident. In our news blog, we write about cases of personal injury relevant to our line of work, and we report on news of judgments and appellate cases that affect the rights of personal injury claimants. We feel a responsibility to raise awareness of the injury and tragic loss of life occurring across our state every day.

Note: These posts are created using publicly available (secondary) sources, information has not been independently verified. If you see any information that should be corrected, please bring it to our attention and we will make adjustments. The photos depicted in these posts are not representative of the actual accident scene.