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Woman killed, good Samaritan Army soldier injured after hit-and-run crashes in Polk County

Florida rapper was 1 of 2 drivers who hit woman
Posted at 7:05 AM, Aug 02, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-02 18:55:00-04

LAKELAND, Fla. — A woman is dead and a Good Samaritan U.S. Army soldier coming to her aid was seriously injured after two consecutive hit-and-runs in Polk County on Thursday morning. 

One of the drivers, 20-year-old Corey Wesley Jones of Lakeland, was arrested in the case. He is also known as "DB Da Kid," and is a rapper. He was driving a 2002 black GMC SUV and left the scene after hitting 40-year-old Kelli Black.

Sheriff Grady Judd said at a press conference on Thursday that he had spoken to Jones and Jones has promised to turn himself in. Now he has been taken into custody and charged with the leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury and reckless driving with serious bodily injury.

The crash occurred at approximately 2:20 a.m. Thursday when a woman was riding an unregistered scooter northbound on Galloway Road, approximately 400 to 500 feet south of Kathleen Road, just past the railroad tracks. Jones' GMC SUV struck and injured the woman on the scooter and left the scene of the crash. 

Deputies released the following surveillance video after the crash: 

 

 

 

A Good Samaritan, Kalen Lawson, 20, of Fort Hood, Texas, who is also an active duty member of the U.S. Army, stopped to help the woman. As he was helping the woman, another vehicle traveling on N Galloway, hit and struck Lawson and the woman he was helping. The woman died at the scene of the crash.

 

 

The truck involved in the second hit-and-run is described as possibly a white or light-colored Ford F-150 pick-up truck. The truck could be another make or model pick-up truck, according to deputies.  That driver is still at large.

Lawson was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center with a serious leg injury. He is expected to recover from his injuries. 

"All of us have a fundamental moral responsibility to stop when involved in a crash. It's just basic human decency--and it's the law. Our prayers are with the family of the deceased victim. I am so proud of Kalen Lawson, Active Duty US Army, who stopped to help--our thoughts and prayers are with him as he recuperates" said Sheriff Grady Judd. 

 

 

 

Anyone with information about the first and second hit-and-run vehicles is asked to contact the Polk County Sheriff's Office at 863-298-6200.