Arrest Made in Lakeland Hit-And-Run That Left Woman, 74, Dead

LAKELAND, FL — A 37-year-old Lakeland man has been charged in connection with an Oct. 6 hit-and-run crash that left a 74-year-old woman dead.

According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Jarvis Kendrick was brought into custody on two criminal charges. He faces a first appearance in court Tuesday afternoon.

The crash that led to Kendrick's arrest occurred on the morning of Oct. 6. The sheriff's office said Janice Joy was walking on Duff Road when she was hit and killed by a truck. Joy lived alone, but was being looked after by a neighbor, the sheriff’s office wrote in an Oct. 6 email to media. The agency said it had been told she had Alzheimer’s disease.

Follow Lakeland Patch on Facebook!

A witness to the crash told deputies Joy was walking westbound when the truck hit her. After the crash, the driver continued heading east, the sheriff’s office said.

“After the witness honked, the truck tapped the brakes one time but then continued to flee towards U.S. Highway 98 North,” the email said.

Kendrick faces two criminal charges related to the crash: one count each of leaving the scene of a crash involving death and tampering with evidence. He was booked into the South County Jail.

No further information in the case is being released at this time.

Booking photo courtesy of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office