UPDATE from PCSO
A homeless man, known to the deputies who patrol the east Winter Haven area, was killed in a traffic crash this morning around 1:15 a.m., on Thursday, April 4, 2024.
The driver of a red Kia Soul, 58-year-old Steven Hoover from Des Moines, Iowa, reported seeing the 43-year-old man in the middle of the roadway seconds before impact. Hoover braked but was unable to avoid striking the man, who was in the roadway and frequently crosses Cypress Gardens Blvd. to go to the 7-Eleven store and the Murphy gas station in the area. The crash occurred in the eastbound lane of Cypress Gardens Blvd. just east of the intersection with Lake Ruby Drive. The pedestrian was walking north across the four-lane highway, not in an area designated for pedestrian travel. First responders performed CPR on the man but were unable to resuscitate him, and he was declared deceased at the scene.
Efforts are ongoing to locate and notify his next of kin. No impairment was detected on the part of the driver, but impairment for the pedestrian is being investigated.
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Initial report:
April 4, 2024 – Winter Haven FL
Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fatal accident overnight at Cypress Gardens Blvd SE and Lake Ruby Dr N. Units were dispatched at 01:16 am to the scene. This is an ongoing investigation. We will update this article as more information is released.
