POLK COUNTY, FL. – A 28-year-old Winter Haven man has been arrested in the fatal hit and run that took the life of a 14-year-old Lakeland girl, and injuring a second teen on July 4th.
The hit & run occurred on New Tampa Highway (US 92), about a ½-mile east of Clark Road in Lakeland.
Deputies say the victims were walking westbound on the north shoulder of the road when they were struck from behind by a pickup truck.
One of the girls was severely injured and passed away on July 6. The other child was knocked to the ground but suffered only minor injuries.
Matthew David O’Neill, 28, of Lake Ring Drive in Winter Haven, is being charged with:
- Leaving the scene of a crash involving death (F1)
- Leaving the scene of a crash involving injury (F3)
- Tampering with evidence (F1)
The processing of evidence is ongoing, and several samples from the truck have been submitted for further analysis, but detectives do have probable cause to arrest O’Neill.
“I can tell you that our detectives worked doggedly on this case right from the start. We received numerous tips, most of which didn’t pan-out. Detectives first found the truck, then a suspect. Their diligence in gathering evidence shows that the suspect was the one who hit those young girls, then fled, and refused to accept responsibility,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
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