A woman was killed and a deputy injured Saturday morning in a hit-and-run crash on State Road 60 in Polk County, according to the sheriff's office

Polk Deputy stopped to help a woman who had crashed

Both were standing in the grassy median when another vehicle hit them

The woman was killed; the deputy has a broken pelvis

Jessica Enchautegui-Otero, 33, of Tampa, died at the scene.



The crash occurred on SR 60 in Lake Wales. Investigators believe it happened between 12:38 a .m. and 12:45 a.m. -- that's the timeframe for when Deputy Adam Pennell, 25, made his last call to dispatch and when paramedics arrived.

“When EMS arrived they found deputy Pennell and Jessica unconscious with multiple injuries. It was quite obvious from the very beginning they had been struck by a vehicle," said Carrie Horstman, a spokeswoman for the Polk County Sheriff's Office.

According to investigators, Deputy Pennell, was heading westbound near Tiger Lake Road and Sam Keen Road, when he saw a woman standing in the median.

Pennell stopped his patrol car in the inside lane of SR 60 and activated his emergency lights.

After talking with the woman, Enchautegui-Otero, he learned she had struck a tree. Enchautegui-Otero reportedly told Pennell that she walked near the roadway to flag for help. She had injuries, deputies said, and her vehicle was against a tree.

As Pennell called EMS to the scene to treat Enchautegui-Otero, an unknown vehicle entered the median and hit both of them before fleeing the scene. Enchautegui-Otero was taken to Lake Wales Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Pennell suffered a broken pelvis and was taken to Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center with serious injuries.

“He’s got multiple broken bones that will require surgery. That will happen sometime later this week. He’s stable but in very serious condition," Horstman said.

His wife, Christin Pennell, released a statement through the sheriff's office Saturday morning:

"Our prayers are with the family of Jessica Enchautegui-Otero," she said, "and we remain hopeful that with the public's help we will find the person responsible for killing her and severely injuring Adam. We appreciate everyone's support while Adam faces upcoming surgery for his injuries, and we ask for your privacy and your prayers. More than anything we hope the suspect is found. Please join us in keeping Jessica's family and loved ones in your prayers during this extremely difficult time."

Christin is also a deputy at the Polk County Sheriff's Office. The pair were married in March 2016.

“They’re very much in love," said Hortsman.T"hey were just married. They have their whole lives ahead of them. Hopefully he’ll be able to recover and continue his career."

The eastbound and westbound lanes of SR 60 between Sam Keen Road and Tiger Lake Road were closed while deputies investigated the crash.

SR 60 has since reopened.

At this time, PCSO says it doesn’t have any information about the suspect’s vehicle, except it will have front-end damage.

"We are confident that with the community's help, we will identify and arrest the coward who ran over a deputy and a young woman and left them both for dead, and then fled the scene," Sheriff Grady Judd wrote in a statement. "We will work day and night until this case is solved. And to the coward who did this - we advise you to turn yourself in, sooner rather than later."

Horstman said the whoever hit them is facing some serious charges.

“ We already know that they were violating the law by running off the roadway, driving recklessly. That’s vehicular manslaughter at the very least. Leaving the scene of a crash with death, that’s a felony."

If anyone has information about this crash, they are urged to contact the PCSO at (863) 298-6200 or Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS (0344).

Jessica Enchautegui-Otero's family has set up a GoFundMe page in her memory. To donate funds to help with her funeral expenses, visit: gofundme.com/in-memory-of-queen-jessica?ssid=786874229&pos=2.

This Gofundme.com site is not managed by Bay News 9/News 13. For more information on how the site works and the rules visit http://www.gofundme.com/safety.