Polk County employee killed while helping with Milton cleanup

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Polk County employee was killed Thursday morning while helping with cleanup from Hurricane Milton, according to county officials.

Crews were cutting down a tree that was blocking US 98 when a Fort Meade Maintenance Unit Service Worker was hit by a car driven by another Polk County employee who was responding to help, officials said.

The man who died was identified as Bruce Kinsler, 68. Kinsler and three others were using a chainsaw to remove a tree from US 98 near Brooke Road at about 5:45 a.m.

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said the other employee was headed to work and didn’t see the crews working. He crashed into the downed tree, which then hit Kinsler and a co-worker. The co-worker was taken to a hospital and has since been released.

Itt was dark, windy, and rainy at the time of the crash, and the driver showed no signs of impairment, deputies said.

“The tragedy of this incident is compounded by the fact that Bruce Kinsler was killed serving the residents of this county,” Bill Braswell, Polk County Commission Board Chair, said in a statement. “We ask a lot of the employees as public servants, and they responded to the call. For this to happen is just a tragedy.”

County officials said safety precautions were followed and crews were in protective equipment.

Kinsler worked for the county for about 10 years.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.