The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash that occurred Saturday, August 3, 2024 near Bartow.
At about 9:38 pm, deputies responded to the crash scene on US 17, approximately a half mile south of 91 Mine Road.
Upon arrival of first responders, 22-year old Aaron Angel Delgado of Eagle Lake was found with head trauma, and he was pronounced deceased by Polk County Fire Rescue.
The investigation so far, based on witness statements and evidence, determined that Mr. Delgado was driving a black 2008 Ford F150 pickup truck south on US 17 at a high-rate of speed and made rapid lane changes just prior to losing control of the vehicle. The truck left the roadway and rolled multiple times, causing Mr. Delgado to be ejected from it. He was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash.
PCSO detectives believe that wet roadways may have been a factor in the crash, and they noted that the tires on the truck had very low tread depth which may have also been a contributing factor.
The southbound lanes of US 17 were reopened after about three hours after the crash, but the investigation is ongoing.
