Two Left With Serious Injuries After Early-Morning Motorcycle Crash

The new year started with a tragic accident and two motorcyclists were left with serious injuries after crashing their sports bikes at 1 a.m. on New Years Day.

According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Unit's preliminary investigation, the two men traveling on motorcycles eastbound on Tindle Camp Road northeast of Lake Wales, approaching the intersection with Lake Mabel Loop Road.

Courtesy Polk County Sheriff's office

Two men were left with serious injuries, one critical, after losing control of their motorcycles shortly after ringing in the new year. Neither man was wearing a helmet at the time of the crashes,

For unknown reasons the first rider, a 30-year-old Haines City man, lost control of his 2023 Kawasaki motorcycle, causing it to overturn and slide "approximately 100 yards inside the eastbound lane," according to the police report. Conditions at the time included some fog and smoke but it has not been identified as a contributing factor.

A second motorcycle, a 2024 Suzuki being driven by a 25-year-old Winter Haven man, was following the first bike "an unknown distance behind" and apparently swerved to avoid the overturned Kawasaki, causing him to lose control of his bike and overturn. He also slid before coming to rest on the road shoulder. There was no indication that the bikes collided, according to police.

Investigators reported that neither man was wearing a helmet and that the Kawasaki driver has extremely significant head injuries. Both men were transported to an area hospital and were admitted.

The driver of the Suzuki gave only minimal information about the crash to deputies, and the other driver was not in a condition to be interviewed. The crash caused roadways in that area to be closed to traffic for approximately four hours. The investigation is ongoing.