Driver In U.S. 27 Crash Died Sunday

One driver of a two-vehicle crash Friday near the Raceway gas station, south of Sebring, died Sunday at Tampa General Hospital, a Florida Highway Patrol press release stated.

Harland Hoeft, 92, of Sebring, was pronounced dead at 4:45 a.m. Sunday, more than a day after he pulled his 1998 Oldsmobile out from Orange Boulevard and into the path of a northbound 2002 Chevrolet.

Passenger Lydia Hoeft, 89, was taken to Highlands Regional Medical Center as well as Katherine Lind, 22, of Sebring, the driver of the Chevrolet.

Lind, who suffered foot fractures and bruises, was treated and released. Lydia Hoeft was also treated and released.

The crash took place at about 1:28 p.m., when Hoeft tried to make a left turn onto U.S. 27 south.

According to an earlier FHP report by Trooper Paul Miller, Harland Hoeft stopped in the center lane, in front of Lind, rather than in the median while trying to turn left.

Miller added that Lind applied her brakes but could not avoid hitting the driver's side door of Hoeft's car.

Highlands County Emergency Medical Services used a Jaws of Life-type device to extract Harland Hoeft from his Oldsmobile.

Firefighters with the DeSoto City Volunteer Fire Department closed down U.S. 27 in both directions for about 10 minutes while an Aeromed helicopter landed on U.S. 27 to take Hoeft to Tampa.

There have been four serious crashes at that location since June 2007.

Hoeft became the 12th person to die this year on Highlands County roadways - keeping pace with 2007 traffic fatalities, according to highway patrol statistics.