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| Detention Deputy Jonathan Morales Pabon / Polk County Sheriff’s Office |
By Ciara Perez, Senior Multimedia Correspondent
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published June 10th, 2026
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News Brief
- Polk County Sheriff's Office Detention Deputy Jonathan Morales Pabon, 32, was killed in an off-duty crash on Interstate 4 in Haines City.
- The crash occurred around 10:30 p.m. on June 9, 2026.
- Morales Pabon was a passenger in a Nissan Rogue when it was struck by a Ford F-350 while attempting to exit the interstate.
- He suffered fatal head injuries and was pronounced deceased.
- The Polk County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit is investigating.
Polk County Sheriff's Office is mourning the loss of Detention Deputy Jonathan Morales Pabon, who was killed in an off-duty crash on Interstate 4 in Haines City.
HAINES CITY, Fla. — Polk County Sheriff's Office personnel are mourning the tragic loss of one of their own after an off-duty detention deputy was killed in a traffic crash Tuesday night on Interstate 4.
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, 32-year-old Detention Deputy Jonathan Morales Pabon died following a crash that occurred around 10:30 p.m. on June 9, 2026, near the U.S. Highway 27 interchange in Haines City.
Investigators said Morales Pabon was riding in the front passenger seat of a red Nissan Rogue being driven eastbound on I-4 by a 21-year-old woman from Lake Wales. Authorities say the driver suddenly braked after passing beneath the U.S. Highway 27 overpass and attempted to cross multiple lanes of traffic in an effort to quickly exit the interstate.
The Nissan entered the path of a Ford F-350 pickup truck traveling eastbound in the far-right lane at highway speed. The truck collided with the SUV, causing Morales Pabon, who was reclined in the passenger seat, to slide into the rear of the vehicle where he suffered a fatal head injury.
The driver of the Nissan sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital. The driver of the Ford truck, a 38-year-old Orlando man, was not injured.
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| Detention Deputy Jonathan Morales Pabon / Polk County Sheriff’s Office |
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| Detention Deputy Jonathan Morales Pabon / Polk County Sheriff’s Office |
Morales Pabon joined the Polk County Sheriff's Office in March 2021 and was officially sworn in during an oath of office ceremony on May 17, 2021. He served as a detention deputy assigned to the South County Jail in Frostproof.
Before joining the Sheriff's Office, Morales Pabon served with the Florida Department of Corrections from 2018 until 2021 as a state corrections officer. Originally from New York City, he also earned an associate degree in HVAC from the Technical Career Institute in New York.
Sheriff Grady Judd expressed his condolences to Morales Pabon's family, friends, and coworkers.
"We are all grieving at the loss of this great young deputy who has well and faithfully served with our agency for the past five years, and was a public servant for several years prior to that. He will be greatly missed. Please keep his family in your prayers."
The Polk County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Investigations Unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Morales Pabon leaves behind a grieving law enforcement family and a community that benefited from his years of public service.
Source: Polk County Sheriff's Office
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