Mary Taylor was just 20 years old when a night ride near Bartow ended her life. She lived in Auburndale and rode as a passenger on a 2000 Yamaha motorcycle last Thursday. The crash happened around 10:27 p.m. at the intersection of 80 Foot Road and Connersville Road.
A 2007 Toyota Tacoma tried to turn onto Connersville Road. It pulled right into the path of the motorcycle coming the other way. The two vehicles hit hard. First responders found Mary already dead in the roadway.
The 30-year-old man from Fort Meade who drove the motorcycle got hurt but not in a life-threatening way. He went to a local hospital. He had on a helmet. Mary did not wear one.
The truck driver, a 30-year-old from Bartow, stayed at the scene. He talked with deputies and got checked out by fire rescue. They cleared him right there.
Mary had her whole life in front of her. At 20, most people are just getting started with jobs, friends, and plans. That all stopped on a regular Thursday night in Polk County.
The road stayed closed for about three and a half hours while deputies worked the scene. The investigation is still going.
Friends and family now face empty days without her. A quick turn by a pickup truck changed everything for a young woman from Auburndale who never made it home.
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