POLK COUNTY, FL – June, 2026 – A Polk County detention deputy died after an off-duty crash on Interstate 4 near Haines City, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities identified the deputy as Jonathan Morales Pabon, 32. Officials said he was riding as the front passenger in a Nissan SUV around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday on eastbound I-4, near the U.S. Highway 27 overpass.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, the SUV was driven by a 21-year-old Lake Wales woman. Investigators said the driver suddenly braked after passing beneath the overpass, crossed several lanes, and attempted to quickly exit the interstate. The SUV then moved in front of an eastbound Ford pickup truck traveling at highway speed in the far-right lane.
The pickup truck struck the Nissan. Investigators said the impact caused Morales Pabon to slide into the back of the SUV, where he suffered a fatal head injury. The driver of the Nissan was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. The pickup truck driver, a 38-year-old Orlando man, was not injured.
Morales Pabon joined PCSO as a detention deputy in March 2021 and took the oath on May 17, 2021. He worked at the South County Jail in Frostproof. Before joining PCSO, he served as a corrections officer with the Florida Department of Corrections from 2018 to 2021.
Sheriff Grady Judd expressed grief over the loss, noting Morales Pabon had served the agency for five years and had worked in public service before joining PCSO.
Investigators have not confirmed whether the Nissan driver will face criminal charges or traffic citations. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit continues to investigate the crash.
Credits and attribution
Original reporting: “Polk County detention deputy killed in off-duty crash on I-4: PCSO,” FOX 13 Tampa Bay, by Joe Espy, FOX 13 News. Published June 10, 2026 at 8:12 PM EDT. Information attributed to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Image credit: Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
