Teen charged in hit and run death

TAMPA - Hillsborough prosecutors confirm that they have filed felony charges against a 17-year-old Tampa woman in connection with the hit and run death of a homeless woman five months ago.

Police say Jordan Valdez was driving an SUV home from cheerleading practice February 8th, when she struck 33-year-old Melissa Sjostrom as she crossed Hyde Park Avenue.

The impact knocked Sjostrom out of her shoes and threw her 100 feet, according to police reports.

Officers located the maroon SUV in front of Valdez' Davis Islands home hours after the crash, and say it matched a red paint chip found at the crash scene.

Valdez is expected to surrender to authorities Thursday, and will be booked into jail.

Sjostrom was well known among the downtown Bayshore homeless community, who raised questions about her death that led to the re-opening of what had been considered a case too weak to file by Tampa police.

Valdez was 16 at the time of the accident.