Crash on I-4 near Davenport leaves Orlando man dead and another in critical condition

DAVENPORT — A two-vehicle crash near Davenport left an Orlando man dead Tuesday.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said 42-year-old Jean Marie St. Gilles died at the scene and the other driver, 55-year old Divel Laurent of Orlando, was taken to the hospital with critical injuries.

In a release, the agency said deputies went to the crash on I-4 at about 10:21 a.m. with Polk County Fire Rescue.

According to the release, Laurent was driving a white 2006 Lincoln Town Car east on I-4 about a half-mile west of US 27. Witnesses said the Town Car may have gotten too close to another vehicle and Laurent jerked the steering wheel to move away but lost control of the car. The car spun across the road, slid into the median and hit a tree.

Both men were wearing seatbelts, and it was raining at the time of the crash, the release said.

Two eastbound lanes of I-4 were shut down for three hours during the investigation.