NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Jeremy Patrick Wharton: Do the right thing and turn yourself in!
That's the message family and friends of 21-year-old Kaelee Morrell are conveying to the 32-year-old Wharton through media reports like this one, now that he is wanted on felony charges of leaving the scene of a Crash involving a fatality and leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injury.
New Smyrna Beach Police traffic homicide investigators were able to obtain the final piece of the puzzle in this case; DNA evidence that puts Wharton behind the wheel of the vehicle that caused the tragic death of Morrell on Oct. 29, 2017.
Morrell was side-by-side with another motorist, later identified by New Smyrna Beach cops as Wharton, on State Road 44 when they made contact and left the roadway. Wharton allegedly then took off and Morrell was left to die.
New Smyrna Beach cops obtained a felony arrest warrant on Tuesday signed by a judge for Wharton's apprehension on the two felony charges that could net him up to 30 years in prison if convicted at trial of these charges.
"At this time, we have not located Mr. Wharton and are requesting the public's assistance to contact the New Smyrna Beach Police with any information that would lead to his arrest or assist us with locating him," New Smyrna Beach PD Lt. Shane Riggle told Headline Surfer and other daily news outlets in a press release, adding, "Please share this post to assist us getting this person behind bars."
"At this time, we have not located Mr. Wharton and are requesting the public's assistance to contact the New Smyrna Beach Police with any information that would lead to his arrest or assist us with locating him," New Smyrna Beach PD Lt. Shane Riggle told Headline Surfer and other daily news outlets in a press release, adding, "Please share this post to assist us getting this person behind bars."
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jeremy Patrick Wharton or has any other any information regarding this case is asked to please call New Smyrna Beach Police Investigator Richard Kirkland at 386-424-2245 or by email at rkirkland@cityofnsb.com.