Fatal multi-vehicle car accident leaves two dead, driver behind bars

MULBERRY, Fla. (CBS12) — A 24-year-old man is behind bars after causing a fatal car accident that left two dead.

Elmer Bryan Giron-Canil of Mulberry, the driver of a 2007 Ford Expedition, was charged with negligently operating a motor vehicle and causing serious injury or death to a person while not possessing a driver's license, and driving without a valid license.

Deputies also say Canal is a Guatemalan citizen who is in the U.S. illegally.

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According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, deputies along with the Polk County Fire Rescue were dispatched to the crash scene on Tuesday at around 5:41 a.m. The crash occurred near the intersection of Pine Grove Road in Willow Oak near Mulberry.

When deputies arrived, they found a 33-year-old man dead. A 62-year-old man was taken to the hospital where he later died from his injuries. Both were passengers in Canil's expedition.

Deputies also say, four others were in Canil's car and were transported to the hospital. In total, there were seven people in the 2007 Ford Expedition.

According to deputies, two are in stable condition and the other two are in critical condition.

Deputies say the second driver, an 18-year-old student from Bartow High School, was driving a red 1996 Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said she was on her way to school when the accident occurred.

She was taken to the hospital where she is in stable condition, deputies say.

Deputies say they spoke to witnesses who said the pick-up truck was traveling east on State Route 60 West. Around the same time, Canil who was traveling west on State Route 60 West tried to make a left turn in the median.

As the pickup truck approached, Canil attempted to turn south on Pine Grove Road and pulled into the path of the truck, striking the passenger side of the vehicle.

The impact caused the pickup truck to spin out of control and come to a stop west in the eastbound lanes, deputies say.

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Canil's car also spun and four passengers in his car were ejected. Two of the passengers in the vehicle died.

Canil told detectives that he saw the headlights of the Chevrolet approaching, but thought he could make it across, deputies say. Deputies also say, he did not have a driver's license because he was in the country illegally.

Deputies say Canil was taken to the hospital for minor injuries and then taken to the Polk County Jail.