POLK COUNTY, Fla. — The driver in a fatal single-vehicle crash near Lake Wales last month was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) Tuesday.
Damien Fletcher, 19, of Haines City, was arrested and charged with vehicular homicide.
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According to authorities, Fletcher was driving a gray Jeep Grand Cherokee east on Masterpiece Road with Jaeden Hill, 19, in the passenger seat and a 16-year-old brother in the backseat. Hill was killed and the 16-year-old had minor injuries.
“Reckless, stupid driving—plain and simple. Because of that, a young man is dead, the victim’s brother is injured, and a family is left with a great void in their lives. Our thoughts and prayers remain with them. The detectives did great work uncovering the facts.” said Sheriff Grady Judd.
PCSO said Fletcher told detectives that he lost control of the Jeep while trying to avoid hitting an animal.
After reviewing the vehicle’s “Electronic Data Recorder,” officials said the Jeep traveled at 104mph in a 55mph zone 1.5 seconds before the crash.
A PCSO detective presented the findings to Fletcher on Tuesday, and he confirmed them to be true. He was arrested then and taken to the PCSO Sheriff’s Processing Center.
