Deputies closed 80 Foot Road for about three and a half hours while they documented the scene and cleared the wreckage.
BARTOW, FL - October 31, 2026
A 20-year-old Auburndale woman was killed Thursday night, October 29, when a motorcycle and a pickup truck collided at an intersection near Bartow, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The motorcycle driver was injured, and the truck driver was not taken to a hospital.
Key Facts
- Date: Thursday, October 29, at about 10:27 p.m.; first reported October 31, 2026
- Location: Intersection of 80 Foot Road and Connersville Road, Bartow, Polk County, Florida
- Type of crash: Two-vehicle collision
- Vehicles involved: A 2000 Yamaha motorcycle and a 2007 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck
- Injuries / fatalities: One fatality (a 20-year-old passenger); the motorcycle driver had injuries that were not life-threatening; the Tacoma driver was evaluated and not transported
- Responding agencies: Polk County Sheriff's Office; Polk County Fire Rescue
- Reported by: Tampa Free Press
Crash Overview
Deputies and first responders were called to the intersection shortly before 10:30 p.m. When crews arrived, they found the 20-year-old Auburndale woman dead on the roadway. She had been riding as a passenger on the motorcycle.
The motorcycle was driven by a 30-year-old man from Fort Meade. Paramedics took him to a local hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening, according to the report.
The Tacoma's operator was a 30-year-old man from Bartow. Crews from Polk County Fire Rescue checked him at the scene and cleared him to stay without transport. He remained on site and cooperated with deputies.
Investigation Status
According to Tampa Free Press, a preliminary investigation found that the motorcycle and the pickup were approaching one another on 80 Foot Road from opposite ends. While the Tacoma was turning onto Connersville Road, its path crossed into the motorcycle's lane, and the two vehicles struck each other. The Polk County Sheriff's Office has said its investigation remains active.