Deputy on ‘lewd and lascivious’ call kills pedestrian — who he says was related to call

Howard Cohen
·2 min read
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A Broward deputy, responding to a complaint about a “lewd and lascivious” act happening on North Powerline Road, struck and killed a pedestrian in Pompano Beach around 5:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

The crash happened near the 1500 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Investigators determined that the pedestrian — identified as 28-year-old Jamil Moreland — “was the individual related to the call for service” that Dep. Wyatt Jennesse, 24, was responding to, according to BSO spokeswoman Claudinne Caro.

According to investigators, Jennesse was heading west on the boulevard in the left thru lane through the intersection of Northwest 15th Avenue. At the same time, Moreland was “laying or in a crouched position in the roadway” when Jennesse’s marked cruiser hit him, Caro’s report said.

A man told NBC 6 he heard skid marks early in the morning. “Skrrr, bah! And then I jumped up. I came out to look and I just see all these sheriffs and paramedics out here.”

Jennesse stopped and reported the crash. BSO Pompano Beach district deputies and Pompano Beach Fire Rescue found Moreland dead on the scene.

No other injuries reported. Jennesse has been on the job since February 2023.

BSO did not say who initiated the call regarding the “lewd and lascivious” report or how Moreland may have been connected.

Moreland was charged with a second degree felony for delivering cocaine and violation of parole in January 2014 and possession of a controlled substance in July 2014, according to Broward County court records.

He had several other misdemeanors and possession charges between 2015 and 2018, along with a third degree felony charge for driving without a valid license in 2019 and a 2023 misdemeanor traffic arrest for threatening a public servant.

According to investigators, driver impairment, excessive speed, and mechanical malfunction are not considered to be contributing factors in this crash at this time. The investigation continues.

The roadway reopened to traffic around noon.