The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit is investigating a traffic fatality that occurred during the early morning hours of Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Auburndale.
Around 1:40 a.m., a 56-year-old Auburndale man was heading home from work in his 2007 black Mercedes Benz and driving eastbound on US Hwy 92 when he struck a bicyclist from behind who was also heading eastbound in the inside lane of the highway; the impact occurred approximately 500 feet west of the Polk Parkway. The bicyclist, an adult middle-aged male who appears to be homeless, died at the scene.
The bicyclist had on dark clothing and was not wearing any reflective gear, nor was he wearing a helmet. The bike did not appear to be equipped with lights or reflectors. Investigators are still working to positively identify him and notify his next of kin.
Neither impairment nor excessive speed on the part of the Mercedes driver appear to be factors but the investigation is ongoing.
