Chief deputy's son charged with DUI manslaughter in fatal crash in Fort Pierce

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — A 19-year-old man is facing DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges in connection to a fatal crash in Fort Pierce.

Police arrested Ryan Hester on Wednesday.

Investigators say he was at the wheel of a Ford F-150 pickup truck that crossed the median and slammed head on into another car on Indian River Drive last February, killing a 32-year-old woman. The victim, of Fort Pierce, has not been identified.

See also: F-150 driver sought in fatal hit-and-run in Lake Worth

The State Attorney's Office issued a warrant for Hester's arrest. Police say he willfully turned himself in to the St. Lucie County Jail.

Hester is the son of Chief Deputy Brian Hester, the director of Law Enforcement for the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office.

Chief Hester posted this statement to Facebook:

Last night, my adult son, Luke Hester, voluntarily surrendered himself to the St. Lucie County Jail for warrants issued by the Fort Pierce Police Department related to a tragic auto crash that occurred on February 7 and resulted in the death of a young woman. We understand that there are and will be rumors and questions surrounding this, so in the interest of transparency, we wanted you to hear about it from us first.

We know and trust that our justice system is a fair one, that individuals must be held accountable for their actions, and we continue to pray and ask for prayers for everyone involved, especially the family who lost a loved one. We appreciate your support and respect for our privacy as we work through this together as a family.