The Polk County Sheriff’s Traffic Homicide Unit investigated a traffic fatality on Monday, June 12, 2023, in Auburndale involving a motorcyclist, who is deceased, and a Ford F-150 truck. The crash occurred just after 6:00 p.m. at the entrance to Cadence Crossing, a new subdivision on SR 542 (AKA K-Ville Avenue). Both vehicles were heading westbound when 31-year-old Abraham Munoz of Auburndale, who was driving the truck, slowed and then came to a complete stop and turned to enter into the subdivision, at which time the motorcyclist, 38-year-old Gregory Crowder of Lakeland, began to illegally pass the truck on the driver’s side at a high rate of speed. The motorcycle crashed into the truck, tumbling and ejecting Crowder. He was declared deceased at the hospital.
