Polk County Sheriff’s Office Investigates Fatal Crash Saturday Night
On October 5, 2019, at 9:59 p.m., the Emergency Communications Center (ECC) received a 911 call regarding a single-vehicle crash on Old Polk City Road near Edna Holladay Drive in Haines City.
The driver, 21-year-old Christopher Cote of Winter Haven, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The preliminary investigation shows that Cote’s green 1997 Dodge pickup was eastbound on Old Polk City Road when, for unknown reasons, it failed to negotiate a curve, and drove off of the roadway. The truck struck an embankment and flipped.
Cote was wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash, but the truck was not equipped with airbags.
At this time, it is unknown if impairment, excessive speed, or distracted driving contributed to the crash.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office closed off Old Polk City Road for three hours for the investigation and recovery.
The investigation is ongoing.
