POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A man was killed Saturday afternoon as a car crashed first into him, then into a Winter Haven motel, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies said the crash happened around 4:21 p.m. at Economy Inn Suites, located at 1901 Cypress Gardens Blvd. SE.
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The sheriff’s office identified the man who was struck as 33-year-old Standall Brooks, of Winter Haven, adding he was hit as he stood outside of the motel’s lobby and was pronounced dead upon first responders’ arrival.
A 29-year-old Winter Haven man who may have suffered a medical episode in the crash was identified as the driver of the car that struck Brooks and the motel, deputies said. The 2018 Ford Focus had been traveling east on Cypress Gardens Boulevard, but left the roadway, according to the sheriff’s office.
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The Ford driver was hospitalized for treatment of minor injuries and later released, the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Here is a final update on the fatal crash in Winter Haven on Saturday that caused the death of a man and damaged a motel office. https://t.co/PAOXUmbs6Z pic.twitter.com/mx0sTMbhFu
— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) June 4, 2023
The crash dealt “substantial damage” to the motel, prompting firefighters to temporarily stabilize it pending repairs, deputies said.
Deputies said the scene was clear as of 9:22 p.m., adding one lane of Cypress Gardens Boulevard was closed for around four hours.
The sheriff’s office is still investigating.
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