No prison time for driver in 2021 crash that killed 77-year-old man near Wellington High
WEST PALM BEACH — A suburban West Palm Beach man will avoid prison but spend 12 years on probation for a 100 mph crash that killed a 77-year-old man near Wellington High School in 2021.
Kori Ball, who turned 21 years old on Tuesday, pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular homicide in the death of Wellington resident Jerome Goldman during a hearing before Circuit Judge Cymonie Rowe at the Palm Beach County Courthouse on Wednesday.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigators alleged that Ball was driving at more 100 mph in a 40 mph zone on the morning of April 8, 2021, when he crashed a Mercedes SUV into Goldman's Lexus at Greenview Shores Boulevard and Chatsworth Drive in Wellington.
'It's stunning': FIU study paints a grim picture of affordable housing in Palm Beach County
Ball was 16 years old on the day of the crash, but prosecutors later charged him as an adult. During Wednesday's plea hearing, he read a prepared statement expressing his remorse to Goldman's family.
"Words cannot express the depth of the remorse and regret that I feel for the part that I played in the accident," he said.
Members of Goldman's family also addressed the court, telling Rowe that their lives will never be the same without him.
Delray Beach homicide: Police investigate fatal shooting of homeless man outside home west of I-95
As part of the plea agreement, Rowe revoked Ball's driver's license for three years, ordered that he perform 500 hours of community service and that he participate in speaking engagements addressing the dangers of reckless driving.
He also will have to attend eight hours of driving school and wear an ankle monitor for the first two years of his probation. Rowe credited Ball with five days of time served in the Palm Beach County Jail.
Sign up for our Post on Wellington weekly newsletter, delivered every Thursday!
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Driver avoids prison for 100-mph crash that killed Wellington man, 77
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Amazon Flex delivery driver has car stolen while dropping off packages in North Austin
The Brief An Amazon Flex delivery driver said her car was stolen while she was dropping off packages The thief is now using the woman's EBT card that was left inside the car Amazon responded to the incident AUSTIN, Texas - An Amazon Flex delivery driver said her car was stolen while she was dropping off packages. Local perspective Stephanie Board was delivering packages for Amazon early Sunday morning. "I took the route that was from 3:15 a.m all the way until like seven o'clock, and I was almost done, so I was excited when I was on my route because I was like, ok, it's about 6:30-ish, I'm almost done. So here I am just determined to get it done and get back to my kids," delivery driver Stephanie Board said. She said she pulled up to a home in the Quail Creek Neighborhood in North Austin, her car was still running. "I'm just thinking, you know, I'm going to hop in and out real quickly," Board said. Board said she grabbed the package out of her car, walked to the front door, dropped it off, and scanned it. When she turned around, Board said, "I look up and I see a guy that I've never seen before. He hops out of a Mercedes, I think it was, and he gets into the driver's side of my car." Board said she tried to stop the man. "I kind of try to get in front of him to stop him from taking the vehicle, but he still goes around and leaves in the vehicle," Board said. She said it felt like a movie. "Panicking, nervous, just disbelief and distraught that something like this was happening," Board said. Apparently, her car had all of her personal items inside, including her credit, debit, and social security cards. "I see that they are currently using my EBT card. They were at the local Sam's that was out south, and it looks like they were at some supermarkets here in the East Austin area, so they're all over Austin, so you might want to just be mindful," Board said. Board and her son have a message to whoever is behind this. "Just do the right thing and return the car because you've taken away from a mother that's trying to support her kids and have a survival for them and stable living," Board said. "I would just like for the person to just give us our car," Board's son, Demarion Ewing said. What they're saying Amazon spokesperson Steve Kelly released a statement on the incident: "Our team has reached out to Ms. Board to offer support and assistance relating to this unfortunate incident. Safety is our top priority, which is why we continue to innovate and invest in comprehensive safety measures that help keep Amazon Flex delivery partners and the communities they serve safe. In addition to contacting law enforcement, Amazon's 24/7 Emergency Assistance Helpline stands ready to provide support to delivery partners if unexpected situations arise." Amazon does provide various forms of assistance when situations arise, including filing insurance claims to help drivers and pay for missed delivery blocks. The Source Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Meredith Aldis
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Update: 2 men in custody after suspected explosive device found in Grand Forks County traffic stop
Jun. 11—REYNOLDS, N.D. — Two people have been arrested on suspicion of possession of explosives after a suspected explosive device was found during a traffic stop in Grand Forks County. Driver Gabriel Patrick Messmer, 41, and passenger Christopher Ryan Ringsrud-Knowles, 42, both of Fargo, were taken into custody shortly after noon Wednesday, June 11, and are being held in the Grand Forks County Correctional Center, according to jail documents. Neither appears to have been formally charged in district court as of Wednesday evening. Southbound Interstate 29 was closed from about 10:55 a.m. to 1 p.m. between Thompson and Reynolds after a North Dakota Highway Patrol trooper found what was believed to be an explosive device in a passenger vehicle during a traffic stop, according to a press release from the NDHP. The vehicle, a 2001 Mercedes-Benz CL2, had been stopped at about 8:40 a.m. due to illegal window tint when the trooper, based on probable cause, searched the vehicle and found the device. The Grand Forks Bomb Squad, made up of personnel from the Grand Forks Sheriff's Office, Grand Forks Police Department and UND Police Department, was contacted and responded to the scene, followed by the road closure for public safety. At about 12:10 p.m., the device was safely detonated on site, the release said. The bomb squad then used an X-ray screening and other search methods to deem the vehicle cleared. Evidence was then collected. The investigation remains ongoing. The Thompson Police Department, Reynolds Fire and Altru Ambulance were also involved during the incident.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
3 DC police cruisers struck, 4 officers injured in Northeast crash
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Four officers were hurt after three Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) cruisers were struck on Wednesday. DC man arrested in 14 alleged vehicle-related thefts According to police, the crash occurred on 62nd and Dix Street Northeast, following a stolen vehicle pursuit in the area. A Mercedes with Virginia plates was stolen out of D.C. and hit three cruisers. The four officers were taken to hospitals while conscious and breathing. One of the officers had their foot run over by the Mercedes, while two others were hurt after their cruisers were struck. MPD is looking for two suspects. This is a developing story. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
