The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a traffic crash that occurred this morning on Buckeye Loop Road in Winter Haven that resulted in the death of an adult male pedestrian. His next of kin has not yet been notified. Preliminary information follows:
Around 1:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 15, 2023, we received 911 calls reporting the crash and an unresponsive adult male on the grassy east shoulder of the roadway, which is a two-lane road with a 45 MPH speed limit. The driver of a 2006 Toyota Corolla, 25-year-old Gabriel Mora of Winter Haven, was traveling north when he struck the man, whom he did not see. The man was walking just inside the fog line of the road. It was dark at the time and there are no street lights in the area. The tree line blocks most of the ambient light from the nearby neighborhood. We have positively identified the man and are looking for his next of kin to notify them of his death. There are no signs of impairment for the driver.
