The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal crash that occurred Friday evening, July 17, 2026 in the Savanna Pointe neighborhood in southeast Winter Haven.
At about 11:08 pm, the Emergency Communications Center received multiple 911 calls regarding a 3-year-old girl who was hit by a Ford pickup truck inside the subdivision that sits at the corner of County Road 653 and Eloise Loop Road (CR 540A).
The PCSO, Winter Haven Police Department, and the Winter Haven Fire Department responded to the scene, but shortly after the arrival of first responders, the girl was declared deceased.
The driver of the pickup truck was uninjured. He remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, which included participating in a Field Sobriety Test and allowing deputies to search his vehicle. He showed no signs of impairment.
According to the preliminary investigation, the victim is from Lake Wales, and was visiting this area for a gathering among family and friends at two residences that are on opposite sides of the street.
Witness statements reported that during the gathering adults and children were walking across the street from one house to the other throughout the evening.
The street, which has a speed limit of 25 mph, was lined with parked vehicles.
The pickup truck is a Ford Raptor with a lift kit and oversized tires. It was towed from the scene for further inspection.
The driver told investigators that he neither saw the girl nor realized he struck her with his truck until he heard people yelling and he saw that they were chasing after his truck.
No criminal or civil charges are anticipated but a final determination will be made at the completion of the investigation, which for now remains ongoing.
