Lake Wales Man Dies in Wrong-Way Motorcycle Crash on US 27

A Lake Wales man died in a head-on crash on US 27 just before sunset Saturday evening after driving his motorcycle northward in the southbound lanes of the six-lane highway.

The 7:58 pm crash took the life of 60-year-ol Gary Restifo of Lake Wales. There was no explanation of why he was driving on the wrong lanes of the busy highway. The Polk County Sheriff's office is investigating the incident.

Restifo was passing north of Dundee Road (CR 542) when he was struck by a southbound pickup truck carrying a family of five, according to police reports.

The pickup truck was driven by an Avon Park man who took evasive action but couldn't avoid the crash. His swerve apparently caused the pickup truck to strike a curb and roll over but all the occupants of the truck, including an infant, were using seatbelts and escaped without serious injuries.

Restifo was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. He was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries.