City of Austin
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date:
Contact: Public Information Office 512-974-5017 Email
Case: 21-0661288
Date: Sunday, March 7, 2021
Time: 8:02 p.m.
Location: 2020 E. Riverside Drive
Deceased: Stavian Driver, Black male, born September 22, 2014
Arrested: Blake Howard Jones, Black male, 27 years of age
Staleigh B. Coleman, Black female, 27 years of age
The Austin Police Department (APD) has identified 6-year-old Stavian Driver as the deceased in the March 7 homicide on Riverside Dr.
On Sunday, March 7, 2021, at approximately 8:02 p.m., APD officers responded to a "Check Welfare Urgent" call at the First Choice Emergency Room Center at 2020 E. Riverside Drive. The caller reported to 9-1-1 that someone had brought an unresponsive child to the emergency center. The caller reported that they were getting mixed information as to why the child became unresponsive and reported that CPR was in progress. Austin-Travis County EMS arrived and transported the child victim to the emergency room at Dell's Children Medical Center. Stavian Driver succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at 8:51 p.m. by Dr. Sujit Iyer.
Over the next several days, homicide detectives interviewed Stavian Driver’s mother, Staleigh Coleman, and her boyfriend, Blake Jones. Both individuals were at their residence when the incident occurred. A search warrant was also executed at that residence which was located at 2430 Cromwell Circle. Due to serious inconsistencies as to how Stavian received scalding burns over 40% of his upper body, arrest warrants were issued for both Staleigh Coleman and Blake Jones for injury to a child by omission. Their bonds were set at $100,000 dollars.
On March 10, 2021, the Lonestar Fugitive Task Force arrested Coleman and Jones on their warrants. They were transported and booked into the Travis County Jail. Both are currently out of jail on bond.
On August 3, 2021, the APD Homicide Unit received the completed autopsy report from the Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office. Stavian’s official cause of death was ruled scald injuries and the manner of death, homicide. This report has been forwarded to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office for review.
Because Staleigh Coleman and Blake Jones are currently out of jail on bond pending Grand Jury indictment, the facts detailed in the Medical Examiner’s final ruling of Homicide will also be presented to a Grand Jury for consideration and determination of all appropriate charges.
Detectives are asking anyone with information or video of the incident to call APD Homicide at 512-974-TIPS, email homicide.apd@austintexas.gov, utilize the Crime Stoppers tip line at 512-472-8477 (TIPS), or the Crime Stoppers app. You may remain anonymous. Information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.
You can also submit tips by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, free on iPhone and Android.
This is Austin's 52nd homicide of 2021.
Booking Photos of Jones and Coleman from March 10, 2021: