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Report: Vehicle Ran Light In Lake Wales Crash That Killed Baby

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TBO.com

Published: January 4, 2009

Updated: 01/05/2009 02:57 pm

A 6-month-old child was killed and two children and two adults were hurt Sunday afternoon when their car was hit by a vehicle that ran a red light on U.S. 27 in Lake Wales, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

If any charges are filed, they likely would not come for 45 to 90 days, when a homicide investigation is complete, highway patrol spokesman Steve Gaskins said today.

Jayla Lee, 6 months, died at the scene, the highway patrol said.

Passion McClennon, 10 months, was taken by medical helicopter to Tampa General Hospital, where she had been listed in serious condition. She since has been released, said hospital spokeswoman Ellen Fiss.

Harriet McClennon, 53, was in serious condition at Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center in Sebring, the highway patrol said.

Isaiah Wiggins, 7, also was taken to Florida Hospital Heartland. Isaiah has been released from the hospital.

Nicole Pounds, 34, the driver of the 1999 Chevrolet four-door in which McClennon and the three children were riding, was listed in critical condition at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Pounds is the mother of the 6-month-old.

The child's maternal grandparents could not immediately be reached.

According to a written statement from the highway patrol, Jayla was in a child safety seat and McClennon was the only other person in the Chevrolet wearing a seatbelt. The driver and passengers all are from Sebring.

This is what happened about 5 p.m. Sunday on U.S. 27 and Scenic Highway in Lake Wales in Polk County, according to the highway patrol:

Pounds was turning left from Scenic Highway on southbound U.S. 27. A 2002 Dodge pickup driven by Mitchell Andrew Hilkemeyer, 33, was going north on U.S. 27 and did not stop at the red traffic signal at U.S. 27 and Scenic Highway.

Hilkemeyer's truck struck the driver's side of Pounds' car, and the impact sent the vehicles into the center median of U.S. 27. Hilkemeyer, of Montgomery City, Mo., was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured.

Information from Highlands Today was used in this report.

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