Yesterday evening, January 18, 2025, a four vehicle accident occurred at Hunt Brothers Road and Highway 60 in Lake Wales. We now know that that accident was caused by a driver who has been charged with several crimes.
Lt. Dale Hampton, public information officer at Lake Wales Police Department, has confirmed that Damian Kochanowski, date of birth 09/19/1999, was arrested last night and has been charged with, “DUI with property damage and serious bodily injury; possession of Alprazolam; possession cannabis over 20 grams; possession of drug paraphernalia; delivery of cannabis.”
Hampton says that Kochanowski failed FST’s (field sobriety tests) and is suspected to have had a “narcotic influence.”
According to LWPD, Kochanowski was driving the at fault vehicle, when he crashed into vehicle 2, which was stopped, and caused a chain reaction 4 -car crash.
“Alprazolam was found in his pockets…125 grams of marijuana was found prepackaged along with $9200 in the car,” says Hampton.
The accident sent three adults to the hospital; Polk County Fire Rescue says one was transported by helicopter, and two went to the hospital via ambulance.
