The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Unit investigated a single-vehicle traffic crash with a fatality yesterday (December 28, 2023) around 9:00 a.m. on Commonwealth Avenue (SR 33) near Hacienda Trail in Polk City.
According to the evidence at the scene, it appears that 29-year-old April Cruz of Lakeland was driving a black 2008 Honda Civic northbound on Commonwealth when she lost control of the car, which began rotating clockwise and then off the road, striking a large pine tree. She was deceased inside the car when first responders arrived. She was wearing a seat belt and the airbags did deploy.
The roadway was reduced to one lane for approximately three hours during the investigation, which is ongoing. There were no other occupants in the car and there did not appear to be any other vehicles involved.
