35-year-old Polk City man dies in single-vehicle crash in Auburndale late Sunday

A 35-year-old Polk City man was killed late Sunday night in a single-vehicle crash in Auburndale.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that the crash happened shortly before 10:45 p.m. at 4734 Berkley Road, about 1,000 feet south of Pace Road.

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The Sheriff's Office said James Stewart, 35, was driving a 2010 Ford F150 north on Berkley Road when it left the east side of the road, struck and severed a TECO utility pole at the base struck a large oak tree. When first responders with the Sheriff's Office and Polk County Fire Rescue arrived, they found Steward dead in his truck.

No other people were in Stewart's truck. The Sheriff's Office did not say why the truck left the road, but the accident remains under investigation. Stewart was wearing a seatbelt. The northbound lanes of Berkley Road was closed for about five hours.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk City man dies when his pickup leaves the road in Auburndale