The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit investigated a two-vehicle crash last evening that resulted in one fatality. Preliminary information so far is as follows:
Around 8:20 p.m. on Sunday, June 10, 2018, PCSO and PCFR responded to Rifle Range Road at 1st Street West in the Wahneta area of Winter Haven. They found an adult male in his 60s who lives in Wahneta partially ejected from his 2001 Ford Explorer, and deceased. He was the only occupant of the SUV. The Explorer was turning left from eastbound 1st Street West onto northbound Rifle Range Road when it entered into the path of a 2014 Nissan Altima that was heading northbound on Rifle Range Road. When the vehicles collided, the Explorer spun and flipped onto its side, partially ejecting the victim.
The driver of the Nissan, 31-year-old Susan Smith of Winter Haven, was wearing her seatbelt and was not seriously injured. She was taken to Winter Haven Hospital where she was treated and released.
Rifle Range Road was closed in both directions for several hours during the investigation.
Efforts are ongoing to locate next of kin for the deceased.
