A member of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office was killed in a strange accident in front of a 7-Eleven store. The member had been a member of the office for 15 years.
Officials report that the accident took place on Sunday at about 10:30 a.m. by the intersection of Spirit Lake Road and Recker Highway.
Eyewitnesses state that a Cadillac Escalade headed south on Spirit Lake Road collided into metal barriers and struck business owner Wanda Perez.
The SUV was said to have struck the side of Perez’s store, called Wanda’s Collectibles, then kept moving into the 7-Eleven parking lot.
Sheriff Grady Judd stated that 60-year-old Sgt. Wesley Whitmore, Jr. had just parked and gotten out of his car right at that moment.
Judd reported that the SUV then struck Whitmore’s police car, forcing the car into him and causing the car to turn 180 degrees.
After the car hit Whitmore, the SUV kept moving until it ran into some bushes, down an embankment into a retention pond, then back up to the intersection of Spirit Lake Road and Recker Highway.
The SUV finally stopped moving back at the intersection.
Judd stated that the Escalade’s driver was 79-year-old Leo Saunders, and there was no evidence to suggest that he pressed the brakes during the incident.
The reasons why Saunders could not control his car are unknown. Saunder’s wife reported that he blacked out.
“He’s never blacked out before,” Barbara Saunders stated. “The ER physician said it might have been because of this or that, but he said we may never know.”
Polk County sheriff’s deputies and emergency crews attempted to save Whitmore, but he was tragically declared dead at Winter Haven Hospital not long after arriving.
“A tragic accident and I just feel so bad for the deputy and his family, especially this time of year,” Saunders’ wife stated.
Saunders was taken to the same hospital with injuries, but is expected to recover. Perez was also transported to the hospital with major injuries. Both are expected to heal completely.
Tags: blackout, fatal, officer, patrol car, shop
