West Virginia man arrested for 2015 fatality in Lake Alfred

BARTOW — Matthew Charles Dickerson died nearly five years ago in a head-on collision along County Road 557 in Lake Alfred.

Last month, authorities in West Virginia arrested Jerry Jarrell Jr., 28, for his death.

Jarrell has been charged with vehicular homicide and faces up to 15 years in prison if he’s convicted. He had been in Florida working on Feb. 10, 2015, when he was traveling northbound on C.R. 557 near Waylanco Road at about 9 p.m. He had pulled into the southbound lane to pass another motorist when the 2015 Chevrolet van he was driving collided head-on with Dickerson’s 2011 Kia, sending the van careening into a ditch.

Dickerson, 34, of Fort Meade, had to be extricated from his car by first responders, according to Polk County Sheriff’s Office reports, and he died at the scene. He was wearing his seatbelt, reports stated.

The arrest affidavit stated the collision took place in a no-passing zone. Witnesses told deputies that Jarrell had attempted to pass another car on a curve in the road.

Jarrell told deputies at the scene he was driving the van, but said Dickerson’s car had come into his lane when the crash occurred, according to the arrest affidavit. Deputies reported the collision took place in the southbound lanes.

Both Jarrell and his passenger, Timothy Gleason, 28, were treated for minor injuries at Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center, now AdventHealth Heart of Florida. Both were wearing seatbelts, deputies reported.

An arrest warrant was issued for Jarrell in January 2016, but Jarrell wasn’t arrested until recently. He waived extradition on Oct. 10, and was served with an arrest warrant in Polk County on Oct. 27. He was released from the Polk County Jail on Tuesday after posting $10,000 bail, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.

Jarrell’s lawyer, Assistant Public Defender Katrina Barcellona, has filed a written plea of not guilty and is seeking modification to his pretrial release that would allow him to return to West Virginia pending resolution of his case.

His next court date is a pretrial hearing Jan. 29, according to court records.

Suzie Schottelkotte can be reached at suzie.schottelkotte@theledger.com or 863-533-9070. Follow her on Twitter @southpolkscene.