News and Investigations

PCSO deputies arrested 25-year-old Kenneth McIntosh of Polk City, Saturday, June 2, 2017, for 2 counts vehicular homicide (F2), 2 counts DUI manslaughter (F2), 1 count DWLSR causing death/serious injury (F3), 2 counts DUI with serious bodily injury to another (F3), and one count DUI with property damage (M1).

According to the affidavit, on Sunday, August 7, 2016, around 2:15 a.m., McIntosh was driving a white 1999 Ford F-250 Extended Cab pickup truck with five other adult occupants. The truck was traveling north on Thornhill Road when it entered into the curve just north of Sugar Creek Drive in Auburndale. After exiting the curved portion of the road, McIntosh lost control of the truck, overcorrected, and the truck overturned, striking a culvert and causing the truck to flip several times. PCSO deputies determined speed was a factor.

Four passengers were ejected during the roll:

• Front middle passenger: 32-year-old Wesley Workman, 2111 Betty Ann Drive, Auburndale; ejected from the truck, deceased

• Front right passenger: 30-year-old Bradley Jones, 2409 Teri Street, Auburndale; He is in stable condition, however, he will need additional medical care for the rest of his life. 

• Rear driver side passenger: 42-year-old Lewis Strickland, 2223 Ellie Road, Auburndale; ejected from the truck, deceased

• Rear passenger side passenger: 29-year-old Robert Cushing, 114 Valencia Street, Winter Haven.

One passenger was wearing his seatbelt during the crash: Rear middle passenger: 28-year-old Roy Gainey, 2414 Winter Ridge Drive, Auburndale. 

A review of the hospital records indicated that at the time McIntosh was brought into the hospital for treatment (after the crash), a blood sample was collected and sent to FDLE, which revealed an Ethanol Level of .194 gm/dL BAC. This indicates he was over two times the legal limit when the crash occurred. Due to his injuries from the crash McIntosh was admitted into the hospital for an extended period of time.

McIntosh has previous arrest charges from PCSO in May, 2010, for DWLSR, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and VOP.

"This man decided to drink and drive, killing two people and seriously injuring twoothers. It is fortunate McIntosh did not hurt or kill anyone else on the road that morning. Please keep yourself, family, friends, and other drivers safe on the road - don't drink and drive." Grady Judd, Sheriff

McIntosh was taken into custody on the aforementioned charges, and booked into the Polk County Jail and is being held no bond.

See below the original media release sent on Sunday, August 7, 2016:

PCSO Traffic Unit Investigating Two Separate, Unrelated Fatal Traffic Crashes

On Saturday, August 6th, and during the early morning hours of Sunday, August 7th, the PCSO Traffic Unit responded to and investigated two separate, unrelated traffic crashes, both of which resulted in fatalities, and both of which involved only one vehicle each.

Preliminary information about both is as follows:

Around 2:15 a.m. this morning (Sunday, August 7, 2016) a white 1999 Ford F-250 Extended Cab pickup truck with six adult occupants was traveling north on Thornhill Road when it entered into the curve just north of Sugar Creek Drive in Auburndale. After exiting the curved portion of the road, the driver lost control of the truck, overcorrected, and the truck overturned, striking a culvert and causing the truck to flip several times. Three passengers were ejected during the roll. The occupants and their injuries/fatalities are as follows:

Driver: 24-year-old Kenneth McIntosh, 2853 Cypress Trails Drive, Polk City; in critical condition at LRHMC

Front middle passenger: 32-year-old Wesley Workman, 2111 Betty Ann Drive, Auburndale; ejected from the truck, deceased

Front right passenger: 30-year-old Bradley Jones, 2409 Teri Street, Auburndale; in stable condition at LRHMC

Rear driver side passenger: 42-year-old Lewis Strickland, 2223 Ellie Road, Auburndale; ejected from the truck, deceased

Rear middle passenger: 28-year-old Roy Gainey, 2414 Winter Ridge Drive,

Auburndale; in stable condition at LRHMC

Rear passenger side passenger: 29-year-old Robert Cushing, 114 Valencia Street, Winter Haven; ejected from the truck, in stable condition at LRHMC

None of the occupants were wearing seatbelts. Speed and impairment may be factors. The investigation is ongoing. It does not appear that any other vehicles were involved.

Due to the time that the crash occurred and the injuries suffered by the survivors, please keep in mind that the information contained here, such as addresses, which came from the victims' driver's licenses, and the location of each of the passengers, which came from preliminary interviews with the victims and evidence at the scene, is preliminary and subject to change.