Polk County Sheriff’s Office Press Release
A 71-year-old Lakeland man was killed Monday morning, November 2, 2026 during a three-vehicle crash about ten miles south of Mulberry.
Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched at around 6:10 am to the scene at 9995 State Road 37, near County Road 630 in Bradley Junction.
Upon the arrival of first responders, the Lakeland man was found deceased in his 2006 Ford Focus.
A 29-year-old man from Wimauma was injured and still in his 2018 Toyota Highlander. He was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
A third man, the driver of a 2010 Honda Accord, abandoned his vehicle and ran away from the scene.
According to the preliminary investigation, the Toyota had been traveling north on SR 37 prior to the crash. The Ford was traveling south; the Honda was behind the Ford, also southbound.
It is believed the driver of the Toyota lost control due to the weather and the wet roadway. The Toyota crossed into the southbound lanes and collided with the victim’s Ford Focus. The Toyota and the Honda also collided.
The driver of the Honda was found and arrested. He was identified as 26-year-old Grevil Said Cerrato of Honduras.
Cerrato told Traffic Homicide detectives that he left the scene because he was scared due to the fact that he had no driver’s license and he is in the United States illegally.
Grevil Cerrato was booked-in at the Sheriff’s Processing Center on charges for Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Death (F1) and Driving without a Valid License (M1). A Hold for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has also been placed on Cerrato.
State Road 37 was closed for about five hours, and the investigation remains ongoing.
