The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Winter Haven man last evening for DUI Manslaughter in the death of a retired PCSO Sergeant who had stopped to remove debris from the roadway when he was hit and killed in Bartow.
Around 7:40 p.m. on Monday, March 17, 2025, PCSO received a 911 call reporting that a pedestrian had been struck on Van Fleet Drive in Bartow just west of the Walmart. The victim, 69-year-old Dan Cooley of Bartow, had pulled his vehicle over onto the northern edge of the road and turned on his hazards, then got out of his vehicle to remove a large tote that had fallen from his vehicle and was creating a roadway hazard in the center lane. The suspect, 50-year-old Aaron Wells of Winter Haven, was driving a 2008 Jaguar S-type westbound in the center lane when he struck Cooley, then came to a stop.
First responders arrived and performed life-saving measures on Cooley and transported him to Bartow Regional Medical Center. He was resuscitated multiple times but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Deputies at the scene detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage from Aaron Wells, who also had slurred speech and watery eyes. Deputies performed field sobriety tests, during which Wells displayed signs of impairment. He was placed under arrested and transported to the Sheriff’s Processing Center, where he attempted to manipulate the breath alcohol test by not providing ample breath. The test still measured his breath samples at .092 and .105 (the legal threshold is .08). He told deputies he drank several beers prior to driving. An 11-year-old girl was also in the car, and fortunately, was not injured.
Wells was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with DUI manslaughter (F2), and negligent child abuse (F3).
“Sergeant Dan Cooley was a public servant for over 20 years, and had been enjoying retirement for nearly as long, when he was tragically and senselessly struck and killed by an impaired motorist. The driver clearly has no regard for human life – not only choosing to get behind the wheel drunk, but doing so with a child in the car. Our prayers are with Dan Cooley’s family and loved ones.” – Grady Judd, Sheriff
Sergeant Dan Cooley was hired as a detention deputy in March 1986. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in January 2002, and he retired in June 2007.
