Lake Wales Police Department Press Release
On November 9, 2018 at approximately 11:15pm Lake Wales Officers responded to a traffic crash at the intersection of Hwy 27 N and Washington Ave. Cody Balster, a 27 year old Winter Haven resident, was operating a 2007 Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle traveling northbound on HWY27. Officers were told Balster was traveling at a very high rate of speed and he failed to stop for a red traffic signal at the intersection of HWY27 and Washington Ave. Isaiah Gifford, a 35 year old Lake wales resident, was operating a 2014 Nissan Altima. Gifford was traveling westbound on Washington Ave while crossing HWY27 with a green traffic signal. The Suzuki collided with the Nissan and Balster was ejected from the motorcycle. After the initial crash the Suzuki collided into a 1994 Mercury which was being operated by Hayward McClain, a 76 year old Lake Wales resident. Northbound HWY27 traffic was affected for several hours while the crash was being investigated.
As a result of the crash Barlster was pronounced dead on the scene due to his injuries, Gifford was transported to Lakeland Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, and McClain was not injured. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Balster’s family.
This crash in being investigated by Officer Mary Jerome. Anyone with additional information regarding the crash is asked to contact her at the Lake Wales police Department by calling (863) 678-4223.
