Polk County Sheriff’s Office Press Release
An unidentified adult male pedestrian was struck by two vehicles last evening on State Road 60 at Nichols Road in Mulberry, and he was declared deceased at a local hospital. Preliminary details are as follows:
Just after 8:45 p.m. on Monday, September 11, 2023, the PCSO ECC received a 911 call regarding a vehicle versus pedestrian crash with injuries. First responders arrived and found an adult Hispanic male with critical injuries lying in the roadway. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
During the investigation, deputies interviewed 32-year-old Esdras Jean of Mulberry who told deputies that he was heading eastbound on SR 60 in a green 2011 Nissan Versa when he struck something that he did not see. After striking the victim, the victim rolled onto the hood and into the next lane. Jean made a U-turn and returned to the area, where he located the victim lying on the roadway. While interviewing Jean, 29-year-old Soledad De La Rosa of Mulberry arrived at the scene and approached deputies – she told them that she also struck something that was lying in the road which caused a flat tire on her white 2006 Nissan SUV.
Evidence indicates that the victim was in the outside lane of eastbound SR 60 when he was struck first by the Nissan being driven by Jean, and then he rolled into the outside lane, where he was run over by De La Rosa’s Nissan.
Neither driver showed any signs of impairment, and the investigation is ongoing. Detectives are still trying to positively identify the victim. Eastbound SR 60 was closed for approximately four hours.
