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Truck Driver Turns Self In After Lakeland Hit-And-Run

News Channel 8 photo by ERIC HAUSMANN

Lakeland police impounded this dump truck after the driver believed to be involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident turned himself in.

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By CHIP OSOWSKI

News Channel 8

Published: February 7, 2008

LAKELAND - A dump truck driver involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident has been released after voluntarily coming in this morning and giving a statement.

He has not been charged, said police Sgt. Terri Smith.

James Robert Tanner, 66, of Lakeland, had fallen out of his wheelchair near East Memorial Boulevard and Stella Avenue and was struck by what witnesses described as a westbound dump truck about 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, police said.

Thomas Eugene Simpson, 53, showed up at the Lakeland Police Department about midnight Wednesday and gave a sworn statement. Smith said she did not know what Simpson told police.

"I don't have that information," Smith said early this morning.

Simpson was released after giving the statement, Smith said.

The Baire Trucking Inc. dump truck has been impounded.

Witnesses told police the dump truck stopped briefly after striking the man, but there is no evidence the driver got out, Gillen said.

Tribune reporters Billy Townsend and Keith Morelli contributed to this report.

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