| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: ENTREKIN, LEE 0098 (AR07005329) THE DRIVER OF ANY VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A CRASH RESULTING ONLY IN DAMAGE TO A VEHICLE OR OTHER PROPERTY DRIVEN OR ATTENDED BY ANY PERSON, SHALL IMMEDIATELY STOP SUCH VEHICLE AT THE SCENE OF SUCH CRASH OR AS CLOSE THERETO AS POSSIBLE, AND SHALL, FORTHWITH RETURN TO AND IN EVERY EVENT SHALL REMAIN AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH UNTIL HE HAD FULFILLED THE REQUIREMENTS OF 316.062 AND DID KNOWINGLY, WHILE HIS OPERATOR'S OR CHAUFFEUR'S LICENSE OR DRIVING PRIVILEGE HAD BEEN CANCELLED, SUSPENDED OR REVOKED, DRIVE UPON THE HIGHWAYS OF THIS STATE, IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 322.34(2)(B). ON 092807 AT APPROXIMATELY 1341 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO THE AREA OF WATSON ROAD AND US HIGHWAY 41 IN REFERENCE TO A HIT-AND-RUN. I WAS FURTHER ADVISED OF THE DESCRIPTION OF SUSPECT'S VEHICLE, WHICH WAS A BLUE BUICK WITH DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DAMAGE WITH A WHITE MALE DRIVER. WHILE TRAVELING ON STATE ROAD 44 IN THE AREA OF SOUTH FALL PLACE, I OBSERVED WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE SUSPECT'S VEHICLE, WHICH WAS A BLUE BUICK WITH DRIVER'S SIDE DAMAGE DRIVEN BY A WHITE MALE. AT THAT TIME, I TURNED AROUND AND ENGAGED MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND PROCEEDED TO CONDUCT A TRAFFIC STOP ON SAID SUSPECT VEHICLE . A TRAFFIC STOP WAS CONDUCTED ON A VEHICLE BEARING FLORIDA TAG NUMBER X61-4ZY AT 3177 EAST GULF TO LAKE HIGHWAY IN INVERNESS. UPON WALKING UP TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, I DIRECTED THE DRIVER TO EXIT HIS VEHICLE. DUE TO THE DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE, THE DEFENDANT CRAWLED THROUGH THE DRIVER'S WINDOW AND SPONTANEOUSLY STATED TO THIS DEPUTY WITHOUT BEING QUESTIONED, THAT HE DID NOT MEAN TO LEAVE THE CRASH, BUT IT WAS NOT MY FAULT SO I DID NOT THINK I NEEDED TO STOP. HE ALSO ADVISED THIS DEPUTY THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE. I STATED TO THE DEFENDANT THAT HE WOULD BE DETAINED UNTIL I COULD FIND OUT WHAT EXACTLY WAS GOING ON FOR HIS SAFETY AND MINE. THE DEFENDANT WAS HANDCUFFED DOUBLE LOCKED AND PLACED IN THE REAR SEAT OF MY PATROL VEHICLE. I THEN CONDUCTED A "DHSMV" CHECK ON THE DEFENDANT'S DRIVER'S LICENSE OUT OF MISSOURI, WHICH WAS FOUND TO BE SUSPENDED AS OF 021603, REFERENCE DRIVING UNDER INFLUENCE (DUI). DEPUTY SMOLENSKY ARRIVED ON SCENE, AT WHICH TIME, I ADVISED THE DEFENDANT HE WAS BEING PLACED UNDER ARREST FOR DRIVING WITH SUSPENDED/REVOKED DRIVER'S LICENSE, KNOWINGLY. HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO DEPUTY SMOLENSKY'S PATROL VEHICLE AND TRANSPORTED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY TO AWAIT MY ARRIVAL. I THEN RESPONDED TO THE CRASH LOCATION, WHICH WAS DETERMINED TO BE APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET NORTH OF EAST WATSON ROAD ON US HIGHWAY41. UPON MY ARRIVAL, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE VICTIM, WHO IS THE DRIVER OF VEHICLE TWO WHO STATED WHILE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON US HIGHWAY 41 THAT A BLUE VEHICLE CAME OVER INTO HER LANE STRIKING THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF HER VEHICLE. SHE STATED THAT THE DEFENDANT LOOKED AT HER AS IF HE WAS GOING TO STOP, WAVED AND CONTINUED NORTHBOUND. UPON INSPECTING THE CRASH DAMAGE, IT WAS FOUND TO HAVE BLUE TRANSFER PAINT, WHICH WAS CONSISTENT TO THE SAME COLOR AS THE DEFENDANT'S VEHICLE. ALSO PIECES OF BROKEN HUBCAP, WHICH APPEARED TO BE THE SAME STYLE THAT I HAD SEEN ON THE DEFENDANT'S VEHICLE. THE VICTIM'S INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM CORPORAL STANTON, SUCH AS DRIVER'S LICENSE, REGISTRATION AND PROOF OF INSURANCE. A FLORIDA CRASH REPORT WAS GENERATED, REFERENCE "HSMV" CRASH NUMBER 73029772. THE VICTIM WAS GIVEN AN AGENCY CASE CARD IN REFERENCE THE CASE NUMBER AND ADVISED ON HOW TO OBTAIN A COPY OF THE CRASH REPORT. I THEN RESPONDED TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY AND MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT ONCE AGAIN AND ADVISED HIM THE VICTIM AND WITNESSES HAD STATED THAT HE HAD CROSSED OVER THE CENTER LINE FROM THE RIGHT LANE INTO LEFT LANE STRIKING THE VICTIM'S VEHICLE AND FAILED TO STOP AND LEFT THE SCENE. THE DEFENDANT DID STATE THE VICTIM DID STRIKE HIM, BUT THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT. THE DEFENDANT WAS THEN CHARGED WITH LEAVING THE SCENE OF A TRAFFIC CRASH WITH PROPERTY DAMAGE AND DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED/REVOKED KNOWINGLY WITH A TOTAL BOND SET AT $750.00, PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. THE ESTIMATED COST OF DAMAGE WAS $2,000.00. THE DEFENDANT WAS ISSUED CITATION NUMBER 7293-FGW FOR CARELESS DRIVING, CITATION NUMBER 7294-FGW FOR LEAVING SCENE OF CRASH WITH PROPERTY DAMAGE AND CITATION NUMBER 7295-FGW FOR DRIVING WHILE LICENSE SUSPENDED/REVOKED, KNOWINGLY. *NOT-EXEMPT* |
