Fatal Crash Investigation
On February 10, 2020, at approximately 12:14 p.m., officers responded to a traffic crash involving a pedestrian at 4000 Lakeland Highlands Road, near the Polk Parkway. According to reports, just prior to the crash, a 2006 Ford F-150 was traveling northbound on Lakeland Highlands Road in the inside lane of travel. Abraham Ira Remchuk, age 42, was standing in the roadway near the inside and middle lanes of northbound Lakeland Highlands Road, performing survey work. The operator of the Ford, identified as Bryce Warneke, age 19, advised she looked down momentarily to check her speed and, upon doing so, hit Remchuk with the front passenger side of the vehicle. The force of the impact caused Remchuk to strike another passing vehicle before falling to the roadway. Warneke immediately stopped and remained at the scene.
The Lakeland Police Department Traffic Unit, Polk County Fire Rescue, and the Lakeland Fire Department all arrived on the scene and began to provide life-saving measures. Remchuk was transported to Lakeland Regional Health, where he was declared deceased a short time later. Warneke did not suffer any physical injuries.
Remchuk was a licensed professional surveyor/mapper, and it is unknown at this time what project he was working on or for whom he was performing the work. At the time of the crash, he was standing near his surveyor's equipment and was wearing orange clothing. There were no warning signs displayed in the area that indicated a surveyor was present, nor were there any safety cones present in the roadway where Remchuk was working.
The roadway was shut down for approximately 3 1/2 hours while the scene was processed for the ongoing investigation. Neither speed nor impairment appear to be an issue in the crash. As with all fatal accident investigations, a toxicology test will be done on the driver.
If anyone has any additional information regarding the crash, please contact Traffic Homicide Investigator Tyler Anderson at 863.834.2553 or tyler.anderson@lakelandgov.net.