BARTOW, Fla. – A retired Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) Sergeant was tragically killed Monday evening by a drunk driver while attempting to remove debris from a roadway in Bartow.
Dan Cooley, 69, of Bartow, a retired PCSO Sergeant, was struck and killed on Van Fleet Drive just west of Walmart around 7:40 PM on March 17, 2025. Cooley had pulled his vehicle over to the northern edge of the road, activated his hazard lights, and exited his vehicle to remove a large tote that had fallen from his vehicle and was obstructing the center lane.
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Aaron Wells, 50, of Winter Haven, driving a 2008 Jaguar S-type westbound in the center lane, struck Cooley and subsequently stopped.
First responders arrived on the scene and provided life-saving measures to Cooley, who was then transported to Bartow Regional Medical Center. Despite multiple resuscitation attempts, Cooley succumbed to his injuries.
Deputies at the scene detected the odor of alcohol from Wells, who also exhibited slurred speech and watery eyes.
Following field sobriety tests, which indicated impairment, Wells was arrested. At the Sheriff’s Processing Center, Wells attempted to manipulate the breath alcohol test by not providing sufficient breath.
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However, the test still registered breath alcohol levels of .092 and .105, exceeding the legal limit of .08. Wells admitted to consuming several beers before driving. An 11-year-old girl, who was also in the vehicle, was unharmed.
Wells was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with DUI manslaughter (second-degree felony) and negligent child abuse (third-degree felony).
“Sergeant Dan Cooley was a public servant for over 20 years, and had been enjoying retirement for nearly as long, when he was tragically and senselessly struck and killed by an impaired motorist. The driver clearly has no regard for human life – not only choosing to get behind the wheel drunk, but doing so with a child in the car. Our prayers are with Dan Cooley’s family and loved ones,” stated Sheriff Grady Judd.
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