One person killed in single vehicle crash Wednesday night, PCSO investigating
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal crash which occurred late Wednesday night, July 1, 2020, in Lake Wales. 25-year-old Rene Perez of Winter Haven was the only person involved in the crash on Crews Road, a short distance north of Alturas-Babson Park Cutoff (ABC) Road. The crash was reported at about 11:32 pm. Perez suffered severe internal injuries and was transported by ambulance to Lake Wales Medical Center, but he was pronounced deceased upon arrival. The crash was witnessed by one person, Perez’s girlfriend, who was driving in front of the victim shortly before the crash. According to the preliminary investigation, Perez was driving a white 2008 Chevrolet Impala south on Crews Road. The witness said Perez accelerated and passed her vehicle as they were both driving south. As his Impala transitioned from the passing lane back to the lane of travel, the Impala began to rotate and then left the roadway. The car struck two trees before coming to a stop. Perez was not wearing a seatbelt prior to the crash. The roadway was closed for approximately four hours while deputies conducted their on-scene portion of the investigation. The investigation, which remains open, showed no evidence of any other vehicles being involved in the crash.
