News and Investigations

The Polk County Sheriff's Office is investigating a motorcycle fatality that occurred on Saturday, November 29, 2025. The deceased motorcyclist has been positively identified as 26-year-old Kyle Cole of New Port Richey, who had active Polk County warrants for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, discharging a firearm in public, and culpable negligence, aggravated battery and aggravated assault on law enforcement, fleeing to elude, felony criminal mischief, breaking a fence containing livestock, trespassing, and resisting arrest. At the scene of the crash, deputies also learned that the motorcycle he was operating had been reported stolen on October 31, 2025. 

The crash occurred around 8:00 p.m. on Knights Station Road just west of Harrelson Road in north Lakeland. According to witnesses and evidence at the scene, Cole was on the stolen 2024 Suzuki heading east on Knights Station and tailgating (following very closely) behind another vehicle. For unknown reasons, he lost control of the bike and it fell then flipped onto its left side, ejecting Cole. The occupants of a Jeep Cherokee that was heading westbound possibly hit the bike after it fell - that driver stopped and remained at the scene, and cooperated fully with law enforcement. 

When first responders arrived, bystanders were performing CPR on Cole, but he succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a local hospital. 

Cole's active warrants stemmed from two separate investigations, the most recent of which occurred on Friday, November 21st. Around 4:40 p.m. that afternoon, deputies responded to the area of Duff Rd to look for the registered owner of a 2003 gold Chevy Avalanche truck who had an active warrant out of Hillsborough County. They found the truck parked at the gas pumps of the Circle K located at 7250 US Hwy 98 north, but Kyle Cole (not the owner with the warrant) was behind the wheel.