TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Mom Still In Critical Condition After Red-Light Runner Crash

ADVERTISEMENT

TBO.com

Published: January 5, 2009

A 34-year-old mother remains in critical condition tonight at a Lakeland hospital, a day after her 6-month-old daughter was killed when their car was hit by a truck that ran a red light on U.S. 27 in Polk County, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Nicole Pounds is in the intensive care unit at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, highway patrol spokesman Sgt. Steve Gaskins said in a written statement.

Three other people — including two children — were in Pounds' 1999 Chevrolet when it was struck by a pickup truck driven by Mitchell Andrew Hilkemeyer, 33, of Missouri, the highway patrol said.

Pounds' daughter, Jayla Lee, died at the scene of the crash at U.S. 27 and Scenic Highway. The child's maternal grandparents could not be reached.

Pounds' son, Isaiah Wiggins, 7, was treated and released from Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center.

Harriet McClennon, 53, remains in serious condition at Florida Hospital Heartland. Her niece, Passion McClennon, 10 months, was taken to Tampa General Hospital, where she has since been released, a hospital spokeswoman said.

McClennon is the mother of Pounds' boyfriend, Gaskins said.

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. Hilkemeyer 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.

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

Information from Highlands Today was used in this report.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT