A possible three-vehicle crash shut down County Road 542 at Jimmy Lee Road in Auburndale around 12:18 p.m. Thursday, prompting a swift response from Polk County deputies as they worked to sort out what happened at the busy intersection.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office
issued a traffic alert Thursday afternoon confirming deputies responded to the scene and are actively investigating the crash. The office's post confirmed one fatality but did not release details about vehicle types or what led up to the collision.
CR 542 was closed in the area following the crash, according to the sheriff's office alert. No timeline for reopening the roadway was included in that announcement, and it remains unclear how long drivers in the Auburndale area should expect delays or detours around Jimmy Lee Road.
A Familiar Trouble Spot
This isn't the first serious crash reported at this exact intersection. In March 2025, a two-vehicle crash at County Road 542 and Jimmy Lee Road left one driver dead, according to a report from midfloridanewspapers.com. That crash happened just after 9 a.m. and was investigated by the sheriff's office's Traffic Homicide Unit, the outlet reported.
It's not yet known whether Thursday's crash bears any relation to conditions at the intersection cited in last year's fatal wreck. The sheriff's office has not indicated whether its Traffic Homicide Unit or another division is handling the newer investigation.
What Remains Unknown
Details about whether anyone else was hurt, what caused the crash, or the identities of those involved have not been made public. Motorists in the Auburndale area are advised to seek alternate routes around CR 542 near Jimmy Lee Road until deputies clear the scene and provide further updates.
