A 56-year-old man died after he was hit by a Polk County Sheriff's patrol car early Friday morning in Auburndale, deputies said.
The crash happened at 6 a.m. at the intersection of 42nd Street and Havendale Boulevard.
Investigators said Deputy William Tull, 21, had just completed his shift and was driving home in the eastbound lanes of Havendale Boulevard in his patrol car.
As Tull approached the intersection with 42nd Street, Martin W. Knoetasch, 56, stepped into the path of his patrol car, investigators said.
Knoetasch died at the scene from his injuries.
Investigators said the preliminary information is that the traffic light was green and that Tull had the right of way.
Officials said Knoetasch had a history of habitually wandering into parking lots and onto Havendale Boulevard to ask drivers for money. On June 9, deputies said they received two separate reports of Knoetasch walking into traffic at Havendale and 42nd Street, once at 11 a.m. and again at 5 p.m.
Officials said the standard policy is for mandated, independent reviews to be conducted when the agency is involved in a crash in which someone dies.
The Polk County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Unit will conduct the initial investigation into the crash. After that, the findings will be reviewed by the PCSO Administrative Investigation's Section. The findings will also be reviewed by the State Attorney's Office.
Tull has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
The intersection was closed for several hours while deputies investigated the scene. Officials reopened the intersection just after 11 a.m.
No further details have been released.