POLK COUNTY, FL, – An 18-year-old man from Plant City is in the Polk County Jail after turning himself in at a PCSO substation, hours after he hit and killed a pedestrian in Mulberry and then fled the scene.
According to the affidavit, Brock Case, 18, of South Willow Drive in Plant City, was driving his 1995 Dodge truck westbound on SR 60 approximately 750 feet west of Espo Drive in Mulberry around 9:10 p.m. on Friday, July 16th, when he struck a 48-year-old Tampa man who was walking in the roadway.
Case initially pulled over, knowing he had hit something, but thinking it was a dog.
There was significant damage to the front of his truck, his airbag deployed, and both headlights were damaged to the point they were inoperable. Without further inspecting to see what he had hit or dialing 911, Case left the scene and drove home.
Deputies responded and collected evidence across a large field of debris, indicating that the suspect vehicle was a possible 1994-1996 Dodge Ram 1500-3500 pickup truck.
As detectives were investigating, Case told several friends and family members about the incident, and ultimately decided to respond to the PCSO Southwest District on US Hwy 98 South in Lakeland around 3:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 17th, to report the incident.
He was cooperative with detectives, and his truck has been impounded at the PCSO Crime Scene warehouse for further analysis.
Case was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death, a first-degree felony.
“While we are proud of this young man for turning himself in, we want to use this as another opportunity to reiterate that failing to stop and render aid or call 911 when you are involved in a crash can mean the difference between life and death, and the difference between being charged with a felony or not being arrested at all. It is possible Case would not have been charged had he simply stopped and dialed 911, due to the fact of where and how the victim was walking in the roadway. Our prayers are with the victim’s family, said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
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