9:15 P.M. UPDATE: Jarrod Naberhaus, 24, of Bartow, died shortly after 11:30 a.m. today when his motorcycle crashed into an SUV that turned into his path on South Florida Avenue at Alamo Drive, according to Lakeland police.

As Naberhaus was southbound in the outside lane of Florida Avenue on a Kawasaki ZX-6R , a northbound 2015 Toyota Highlander driven by 72-year-old Kristina Giordano, turned left onto Alamo in front of him, police said. Both vehicles had green lights.

“Naberhaus was unable to avoid the SUV and collided with the passenger side of the Toyota,” LPD said, based on witness statements. Naberhaus was thrown off his bike, whichwas severely damaged. The Toyota stopped at a nearby gas station.

“The Lakeland Police Department Patrol Unit, Polk County Fire Rescue, and the Lakeland Fire Department arrived on scene and began to provide life-saving measures. Jarrod Naberhaus was pronounced deceased on scene at approximately 11:39 a.m.,” the Police Department said in a news release.

The investigation is continuing, police said.

Neither Giordano nor her passenger, 73-year-old Donald Michael Giordano, needed to be transported for medical care, police said.

Florida Avenue was closed for much of the afternoon between Alamo Drive and Highland Drive, but reopened around 3 p.m.. In addition, traffic was backed up in both directions between the Polk Parkway and Lake Miriam Drive, as well as adjacent portions of Old Highway 37 during the afternoon.

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Barry Friedman founded Lkldnow.com in 2015 as the culmination of a career in print and digital journalism. Since 1982, he has used the tools of reporting, editing and content curation to help people in Lakeland understand their community better.

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