Crime & Safety
Polk Woman Killed After Being Struck By 2 Hit-And-Run Vehicles
Polk County Sheriff's Office investigators are seeking information on a driver who left the scene of a fatal accident.
LAKELAND, FL -- Polk County Sheriff's Office traffic homicide investigators are seeking information a driver who left the scene of a fatal traffic crash this morning, Aug. 2.
At 2:20 a.m., 40-year-old Kelli Marie Black of Polk City was riding an unregistered red and black scooter north on Galloway Road approximately 400 to 500 feet south of Kathleen Road just past the railroad tracks when a 2002 black GMC SUV struck her and fled the scene.
Kalen Lawson, 20, an active-duty member of the Army based in Fort Hood, Texas, and originally from Lakeland, stopped to help the woman. As he was rendering aid, another vehicle traveling north on U.S. 98 hit and struck Lawson and the original crash victim.
Find out what's happening in Lakelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The truck is described as a white/light-colored Ford F-150 pickup truck, but possibly another make/model.
Lawson was transported to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center with a serious leg injury. He is expected to recover from his injuries. Black was run over by the second hit-and-run pickup and died at the scene.
Find out what's happening in Lakelandfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Detectives located the GMC. It is owned by 28-year-old Corey Wesley Jones of Lakeland (also known as DB Da Kid), who has been arrested.
They are continuing to search for the pickup truck. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Polk County Sheriff's Office at (863) 298-6200.
Image via Polk Sheriff
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