1 dies, 2 hurt when truck flips on U.S. 27

CLERMONT -- A 26-year-old man died early Friday after he lost control of the truck he was driving and it flipped over twice on U.S. Highway 27.

Two passengers in the truck were injured and taken by helicopter to Orlando Regional Medical Center.

Jarod Thomas Harling of Clermont was driving north on U.S. 27, about six miles south of Clermont, in a 2004 Chevrolet S-10 pickup shortly after 2 a.m. when the vehicle went into the median, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Harling overcorrected to the right and then back to the left, the FHP said. The truck went into a counter-clockwise spin, went back into the median and rolled over twice.

Harling died at the scene. Passengers Brian James Cole, 23, of DeLand and Bobby Matthew Robinette, 29, of Clermont were in serious and stable condition at ORMC, a hospital spokesman said.

All three men, who were classmates at the Institute of Public Safety in Tavares, were thrown from the truck. They were not wearing seat belts, the FHP said.

They were scheduled to graduate from the five-month-long police training course on Feb. 4, said Capt. Wayne Longo of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Longo said Cole and Robinette still may be able to graduate next month if they recover from their injuries quickly. If not, they may have to wait until the next graduating class, he said.

Orlando Sentinel -

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