Reward increased in fatal hit-and-run crash that injured deputy

LAKE WALES (FOX 13) - There's now a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest of the driver in a hit-and-run crash near Lake Wales that killed a Tampa woman and injured Polk County deputy, Sheriff Grady Judd said Monday.

Jessica Enchautegui-Otero, 33, had initially crashed her car on State Road 60 early Saturday morning and was trying to flag someone down for help.

"There was a woman dressed in black walking on the grass trying to wave down cars in the median and she literally stood in the left-hand lane," a driver who called 911 told dispatcher. "I don't know if she needs help, or what's going on."

Jessica did need help and Polk County Deputy Adam Pennell, 25, spotted her and stopped. Pennell can be heard in radio transmissions released Monday telling dispatchers Jessica hurt her arm.

"While the two of them are standing face-to-face talking, that's when this unknown person runs through the median, runs over them and then flees the scene," said Sheriff Judd.

Paramedics were already on their way to respond to Enchautegui-Otero's initial accident and were expecting to find a minor accident, but arrived at a much different scene.

Jessica had been killed and the deputy was severely hurt.

"Deputy Pennell is in really bad shape. He is broken up. He's got broken ribs, broken arms, broken pelvis," Judd told FOX 13, adding the driver responsible needs to come forward.

"You're a coward, that's what you are. But you're going to be a coward wearing orange sooner or later."

Jessica's mother, Maria Enchautegui, is trying to figure out how to move forward after losing all three of her children, including two this month -- one of her sons had a massive heart attack at the beginning of October and now Jessica died over the weekend.

"She means the world. I have lost all my three children," Maria Enchautegui said. "It's just unbelievable. I don't understand, how can people have the heart to do that?"

Enchautegui said she just wants justice.

"Turn yourself in for our sake, for even my daughter's memory," she said. "And this deputy, you are in my prayers and all your family are in my prayers too."

Enchautegui is now planning another funeral has set up a page on the Go Fund Me website.

Deputy Pennell is scheduled to have surgery Tuesday and, according to the sheriff, his recovery could take six to 12 months.