Cody: Suspect in Custody for Hit-and-Run that Severely Injured 11-year-old Boy
Written by Andrew-Rossi on September 22, 2022
Just a day after a hit-and-run that left a child with several broken bones and a punctured lung, the Cody Police Department has a suspect – presumably the driver that struck the child – in custody.
On Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Cody Police Officers responded to 16th Street and Stampede Avenue in Cody to a report of a child on a bicycle having been struck by a pickup truck.
Upon their arrival, officers learned that 11-year-old Parker DeFord was riding his bicycle across 16th Street at Stampede Avenue when he was struck by a pickup truck. When the crash occurred, the truck was apparently stopped at the intersection, preparing to turn right onto Stampede Avenue.
After striking the child, the truck left the scene traveling east down Stampede Avenue. Witnesses described the suspect vehicle as a white, late-model Dodge pickup truck.
The Cody Police Department obtained recordings of the incident from nearby security cameras. The case is still an active investigation. However, it appears there is a suspect in custody.
40-year-old Jennifer Christen Phillips is currently incarcerated for a hit-and-run where there is a death or injury – a misdemeanor charge in Wyoming.
Phillips was taken into custody at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesday, September 21. She is currently being held at the Park County Detention Center with no bond, most likely because she has yet to appear in court.
The accused is charged with violating Wyoming Statutes Title 31-5-1101 – “Duty to stop vehicle where accident involves death or personal injuries.”
According to the statute:
a) The driver of any vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury to or death of any person shall immediately stop the vehicle at the scene of the accident or as close thereto as possible but shall then forthwith return to and in every event shall remain at the scene of the accident until he has fulfilled the requirements of W.S. 31-5-1103. Every stop shall be made without obstructing traffic more than is necessary.
A person convicted of this misdemeanor faces a maximum of one year in prison and $5,000 in fines.
Parker DeFord is currently recuperating at Cody Regional Health Center with a broken tibia, two broken ribs, a punctured lung, and several broken teeth. A GoFundMe for Parker DeFord has been set up to help him and his family with extensive medical bills.
Courtesy Nicole Deford
