MANATEE COUNTY – A tragic head-on collision Saturday night on State Road 70 near Betts Road claimed two lives and left others injured, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.

The accident occurred Saturday night as a sport utility vehicle (SUV), driven by a 31-year-old Bradenton man, was traveling westbound on State Road 70. Also traveling in the SUV were three passengers: a 56-year-old man from Bradenton, a 57-year-old woman from Bradenton, and a 34-year-old man also from Bradenton.

As the SUV continued westbound, a pickup truck driven by a 47-year-old Arcadia man was heading eastbound on State Road 70, traveling in the opposite direction of the SUV. The driver of the pickup truck was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

The SUV encountered slower traffic and the driver attempted to pass the other westbound vehicles. At 8:59 PM the SUV crossed into the eastbound lane, traveling directly into the path of the oncoming pickup truck. The vehicles collided head-on in the eastbound lane at speed.

The violent collision resulted in the death of the 47-year-old man from Arcadia who was driving the pickup truck, and the 56-year-old passenger from Bradenton traveling in the SUV. Both of the fatally injured people had been wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.

The 31-year-old man from Bradenton who was driving the SUV was seriously injured in the collision and transported to an area hospital for treatment.

The 57-year-old woman from Bradenton who was traveling in the SUV sustained minor injuries in the crash, and despite not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, the 34-year-old man from Bradenton suffered only minor injuries.

The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash.

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