POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A 29-year-old Plant City man lost his life Saturday night following a sequence of events on County Line Road that initially baffled first responders. Polk County Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the intersection of Gateway Boulevard around 8:40 p.m. on March 7, 2026, to find a scene originally reported as a pedestrian struck by a vehicle.
The victim, identified as Justin Lane Fuller, was pronounced dead at the scene. However, as investigators began processing the debris, they realized Fuller had not been walking. Instead, he had been operating a burgundy 2008 Harley-Davidson.
According to the preliminary investigation, Fuller was traveling north on County Line Road when his motorcycle went down for reasons that are still being determined.
The force of the crash ejected Fuller from the bike, causing him to tumble approximately 75 feet across the roadway. He eventually came to a rest in the southbound lanes, where he was struck by two oncoming vehicles.
Detectives found no evidence to suggest that another vehicle hit the motorcycle before it went down. While a helmet was recovered near Fuller’s body, it remains unclear if he was wearing it during the initial crash or the subsequent impacts.
The drivers of the two vehicles involved in the secondary collision stayed at the scene and have been cooperating fully with the investigation. Due to the scale of the crash site and the need to process extensive evidence, County Line Road remained closed in both directions for roughly four hours.
ORIGINAL REPORT: A Saturday night collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian has claimed a life in the west Lakeland area, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
Emergency crews and deputies were dispatched to the scene on County Line Road near Amberjack Boulevard at approximately 8:40 p.m. on March 7, 2026. Authorities confirmed shortly after arrival that the pedestrian suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The identity of the deceased has not been released.
Traffic in the area has been heavily impacted. Both northbound and southbound lanes of County Line Road have been closed to allow the Traffic Homicide Unit to process the scene and collect evidence.
Law enforcement officials are advising commuters to find alternate routes, as the roadway is expected to remain blocked for several hours.
No further details regarding the cause of the crash or the circumstances leading up to the incident were immediately available. This story will be updated.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
