Polk County Sheriffs Press Release
PCSO Traffic Unit Investigating Traffic Fatality – Pedestrian
Fatally Struck by Car in Wahneta
The PCSO Traffic Unit is investigating
a vehicle versus pedestrian crash that occurred in the Wahneta area of
Winter Haven last evening, February 26, 2018, during which the pedestrian
was fatally struck.
Around 9:15 p.m. on Monday night, a 2007
beige Mercury Milan being driven by 23-year-old Dekeidra McClures of Auburndale
was heading northbound on Rifle Range Road approaching 11th Street East
when an adult male darted out onto the road in front of her car. She was
unable to avoid striking him, and he was declared deceased on-scene. It
appears he was crossing from the west side of the road to the east side
of the road.
Both occupants of the car – the driver and her
son – were wearing seatbelts, and neither impairment nor excessive speed
on her part are suspected. Neither were injured.
Traffic deputies
are still trying to positively identify the victim, who is an adult Hispanic
male believed to live nearby. He did not have any identification on him,
and his fingerprints were scanned but no results were found.
His
name will be released once we are able to make positive identification.
Rifle Range Road in that area was shut down for approximately
three hours during the investigation.
