A 53-year-old Florida man charged in the death last year of Lowell Police Chief Joe Landers pleaded guilty today in a Bay County, Fla., Circuit Court, according to the state attorney’s office.
Callee Landers, who is Landers’ daughter, said the suspect, Jimmy John Christo, was expected to enter a guilty plea on the five charges against him. Sentencing is expected to occur after the plea is entered, she said.
Landers, 51, who was in Florida attending the Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally in Panama City Beach as a spectator, was injured when a Toyota Camry driven by Christo pulled out in front of his motorcycle without signaling.
Landers was thrown from the motorcycle, over the hood of the car and suffered a fractured skull, broken pelvis and broken arm among other injuries.
He had been on life support for about two week at Bay Medical Center in the Florida panhandle before his death.
Capt. Randy Harvey was named Lowell police chief in the spring, replacing Landers.
Mayor Eldon Long said Harvey is an accomplished leader.
“He has proven his leadership ability and has excellent training and is very loyal to the department,” the mayor said.
Harvey has been with the Lowell Police Department since 1998. He also has been a deputy with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and a patrol officer with the Rogers Police Department.
The announcement of Landers’ death was made May 4 in a news conference with Long at the Lowell City Council chambers.
City officials and residents lowered the U.S. flag outside the Lowell City Hall to half-staff following the news conference. Then, Long led the crowd in prayer.
“There will never be another individual like him,”Long said. “We need to go through this grieving process together.”
