Polk County, Fla. — A 26-year-old man was arrested after allegedly fleeing a deadly three-vehicle crash on State Road 37, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) as reported by The Gateway Pundit and Fox 13 Tampa Bay.
What investigators say happened
Deputies were dispatched shortly after 6 a.m. Monday to SR 37 near County Road 630 by the Bradley Junction community, about 10 miles south of Mulberry, PCSO said. Investigators stated a Toyota SUV traveling north lost control “because of poor weather conditions,” crossed into southbound lanes, and hit a 2006 Ford Focus. The Toyota also collided with a Honda sedan, according to PCSO accounts summarized by the outlets.
First responders found a 71-year-old Lakeland man dead in the Ford Focus, PCSO said. A 29-year-old Wimauma man driving the Toyota was taken to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening, according to Fox 13’s reporting on the sheriff’s office account.
Arrest after foot chase and charges
PCSO said the Honda’s driver, identified as Grevil Said Cerrato, 26, abandoned the car and fled on foot before being located and taken into custody. According to the sheriff’s office, Cerrato told traffic homicide detectives he ran because he was scared, did not have a driver’s license, and was in the United States illegally. Fox 13 reported he is a Honduran national, citing PCSO.
According to the outlets’ summaries of PCSO information, Cerrato faces charges of leaving the scene of a deadly crash (a first-degree felony) and driving without a valid license (a misdemeanor). The sheriff’s office also said an immigration detainer was in place. Authorities have not released the names of the two other drivers.
What officials haven’t said
As of the reports cited, PCSO had not said whether the Toyota driver would face any charges. The investigation remains open, according to the sheriff’s office statements relayed by the outlets.
Road closed for hours
State Road 37 was closed for several hours following the crash, PCSO said.
