Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Fifty years ago, #OnThisDay, March 13, 1974, Sergeant Sollie Waller “Wally” Rabun, Jr., was driving to a location southeast of Winter Haven to follow up on an investigation.

At about 1:25 pm, while driving north on Hoover Road (now Macon Road) in the Eloise area, Rabun’s vehicle was struck by an Amtrak train at the railroad crossing just south of Eloise Loop Road.

The crossing was in a heavily wooded area, and had no gates or warning lights.

Sergeant Wally Rabun died at the scene as a result of his injuries. He was only 26 years old at the time of his death, and left behind a wife and infant son.

PCSO

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