| Probable cause affidavit: |
SUBMITTED BY: TROOPER DECARLIS, DAVID 2740 (AR14-12252) THE DRIVER OF ANY VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A CRASH OCCURRING ON PUBLIC OR PRIVATE PROPERTY WHICH RESULTS IN INJURY OF 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, IS IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 316.027(1)(A) 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, IS IN VIOLATION OF FLORIDA STATE STATUTE 316.061(1) ON 092914 AT 1957 HOURS, I WAS DISPATCHED TO THE INTERSECTION OF U S HIGHWAY 19 AND WEST CARDINAL STREET IN REFERENCE TO A HIT AND RUN TRAFFIC CRASH. UPON ARRIVAL AT 2028 HOURS, I OBSERVED A 1995 HONDA CIVIC WITH REAR END DAMAGE, PARKED UNATTENDED IN THE EMPTY PARKING LOT OF A NOW VACANT RESTAURANT LOCATED AT SAID INTERSECTION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I WAS INFORMED BY CITRUS COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES WHO HAD RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE CRASH VICTIM THAT THE SUSPECT VEHICLE HAD LEFT THE SCENE AND TRAVELED EAST ON WEST CARDINAL STREET. I WAS PROVIDED with A LICENSE PLATE NUMBER AND INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A LOCKED GATE AT THE SUSPECT RESIDENCE AND NO ONE COULD BE SEEN NEARBY, INCLUDING THE SUSPECT VEHICLE. HOWEVER, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE SUSPECT VEHICLE IS BLOCKED FROM STREET VIEW DUE TO TREES AND BUSHES ON THE LOT. AFTER REMOVAL OF THE VICTIM'S VEHICLE BY TOWING SERVICE I RESPONDED TO SEVEN RIVER'S HOSPITAL AT WHICH TIME I MADE CONTACT WITH THE VICTIM. THE VICTIM INFORMED ME HE WAS STOPPED AT U S HIGHWAY 19 AT WEST CARDINAL STREET, AND WAS IN THE LEFT TURN LANE AND WAS PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN HE COULD HEAR THE DEFENDANT'S VEHICLE TIRES SCREECHING, AS THE DEFENDANT'S VEHICLE SLID and CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE VICTIM'S VEHICLE. THE VICTIM AND SUSPECT BOTH EXITED THEIR VEHICLES, SPOKE WITH EACH OTHER BRIEFLY, and THEN MOVED THEIR VEHICLES TO THE PARKING LOT OF THE VACANT RESTAURANT. THE VICTIM STATED THE SUSPECT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION BUT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE VICTIM NOT CALLING LAW ENFORCEMENT TO THE SCENE. THE VICTIM STATED THE SUSPECT HAD A STRONG ODOR OF AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMING FROM HIS BREATH DURING THE CONVERSATION. THE VICTIM INFORMED THE SUSPECT THAT HE WOULD NEED TO CALL THE POLICE, AT WHICH TIME THE SUSPECT IMMEDIATELY GOT INTO HIS VEHICLE AND THEN PREPARED TO DRIVE AWAY, DURING WHICH TIME THE VICTIM WROTE DOWN THE SUSPECT'S LICENSE PLATE NUMBER ON THE PALM OF HIS HAND. THE VICTIM STATED THE SUSPECT VEHICLE IS A WHITE FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCK. ON 100414, AT 1022 HOURS, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE VICTIM AT HIS RESIDENCE AND SHOWED HIM A PHOTO PACK WHICH CONTAINED SIX PHOTOGRAPHS AND TWO BLANKS. THE VICTIM IDENTIFIED PHOTO NUMBER FIVE, which IS THAT OF THE DEFENDANT AS THE PERSON WHO CRASHED INTO HIS VEHICLE. I PROCEEDED TO THE DEFENDANT'S RESIDENCE AND FOUND THE FRONT GATE UNLOCKED AND STANDING WIDE OPEN. AT 1110 HOURS, I MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEFENDANT. UPON THE DEFENDANT OPENING HIS DOOR TO HIS SUNDECK, HE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO SPEAK TO ME BEFORE I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE MYSELF, AND STATED THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WITH THE VICTIM AND HAS ALREADY BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEFENDANT STATED HE WAS BUMPED FROM BEHIND PRIOR TO STRIKING THE VICTIM'S VEHICLE; HOWEVER, HE BELIEVED HE WOULD HAVE STRUCK THE VICTIM'S VEHICLE REGARDLESS. HE FURTHER STATED HE BELIEVED THE CRASH OCCURRED AFTER THE LEFT TURN WAS MADE AND THAT THE UNKNOWN FULL SIZED BLACK PICKUP WHICH COLLIDED INTO HIM HAD LEFT THE SCENE. THE DEFENDANT STATED HE AND THE VICTIM EXCHANGED INFORMATION PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTING THE SCENE, AND DENIED EVER REQUESTING THAT THE VICTIM NOT CONTACT LAW ENFORCEMENT. WHILE ON SCENE I CONTACTED THE VICTIM BY TELEPHONE TO DISCUSS STATEMENTS PROVIDED BY THE DEFENDANT, AND THE VICTIM WAS ADAMANT THAT HE WAS STOPPED, AWAITING THE RED LIGHT TO TURN LEFT WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURRED AND THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROADWAY THAT COLLIDED WITH THE DEFENDANT, AND THAT HE AND THE DEFENDANT AT NO TIME EXCHANGED INFORMATION BEFORE THE DEFENDANT FLED THE SCENE. I DID INSPECT THE DEFENDANT'S VEHICLE AND OBSERVED MINOR FRONT END DAMAGE WHICH APPEARED FRESH AND CONSISTENT WITH A REAR END COLLISION WITH THE VICTIM'S VEHICLE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS POINTS OF PREEXISTING DAMAGE ON ALL SIDES OF THE DEFENDANT'S VEHICLE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I PLACED THE DEFENDANT UNDER ARREST AND TRANSPORTED HIM TO THE CITRUS COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING. I ISSUED CITATIONS FOR CARELESS DRIVING, LEAVING SCENE OF A CRASH WITH PERSONAL INJURY, AND LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT with PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE DEFENDANT'S BOND WAS SET AT TOTAL BOND OF $2,250.00 PER THE BOND SCHEDULE. |
