Mother, child seriously injured in hit-and-run outside Walmart, suspected driver arrested at hotel
The Brief
Largo police say a driver hit a mother and her 6-year-old child in a Walmart parking lot on Thursday night.
Both victims suffered serious injuries, with police saying the child's injuries are life-threatening.
Officers later arrested Lauren Howells, 32, on multiple charges.
LARGO, Fla. - Largo police say they've arrested the driver who took off after hitting a mother and her 6-year-old child in a Walmart parking lot, leaving both with serious injuries.
What we know
The Largo Police Department says a woman later identified as Lauren Howells, 32, hit the victims and crashed into other vehicles shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday outside Walmart off Roosevelt Blvd.
Both victims went to the hospital, with police saying the child's injuries are life-threatening.
Investigators say the Clearwater Police Department found Howells' vehicle parked at the Days Inn on Gulf-to-Bay Blvd., but Howells had left.
Law enforcement later found Howells at Murphy's Motel off 34th St., according to police, at which point she admitted to crashing in the Walmart parking lot and leaving the scene.
What we don't know
Police did not release the names of the victims or the gender of the child who was hit.
What's next
Howells faces charges of leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, two counts of leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury, and one count of reckless driving with serious bodily injury.
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The Source
This story was written with information from the Largo Police Department.
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