Lakeland Police Investigate 49-Year-Old Justin Hackney Death — Wrongful Death Lawyer

A wrongful death lawyer is part of the framework around the death of Justin Hackney, a 49-year-old killed when his pickup truck left Ariana Street in Lakeland and hit a tree. The Lakeland Police Department said the crash happened just after 9:00 a.m. on May 14, 2026.

Police and fire rescue crews reached the scene quickly and began life-saving measures. Hackney died in the single-vehicle crash.

Ariana Street crash details

The pickup veered off the roadway before striking the tree, according to police. That left investigators with a single vehicle, one roadway, and a fatal impact to examine as they work through the crash sequence on Ariana Street.

The department said it continues to investigate the crash. That means the basic facts are set, but the reason the truck left the roadway has not been publicly resolved in the material released so far.

Justin Hackney and family options

The article places the crash in the context of wrongful death claims because surviving family members may have legal options after a fatal crash. Flanagan & Bodenheimer Injury & Wrongful Death Law Firm says it represents families across Florida in wrongful death cases, offers free consultations, and works on a contingency fee basis.

The firm says there are no fees unless it recovers compensation for a family. For people dealing with a death like Hackney's, that kind of arrangement determines how a claim can be started without an upfront payment.

May 15, 2026 update

The story was published on May 15, 2026, one day after the crash. For Hackney's family, the immediate next step is the police investigation, which will shape whether the cause of the Ariana Street crash becomes clearer and whether any legal claim can move forward.