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Plea deal near for Davis Islands teen charged in fatal hit-and-run

Photo from Tampa Police Department

Police found the Nissan Murano with front-end and hood damage outside the Davis Islands home of its owner.

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By TOM BRENNAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 2, 2009

TAMPA - Lawyers said today that they are close to hashing out a deal in the case of a Davis Islands teenager charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

Jordan Valdez was 16 when she was accused of being the driver of a Nissan Murano that hit Melissa Sjostrom, a homeless woman, on Feb. 8 and then driving home. Sjostrom was walking across Hyde Park Avenue near Azeele Street.

Brian Saudy, one of Valdez's attorneys, told Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe the case probably will be resolved by a plea agreement.

"I think we're pretty close," he said of the negotiation.

Assistant State Attorney Mike Sinacore agreed.

Tharpe scheduled a status conference on the case for Oct.1.

Valdez is charged with one felony count of leaving the scene of an accident with death. She is charged as an adult. She faces up to 30 years in prison.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 259-7698.

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