Handcuffs (File Photo/ banspy/ Flickr)
Clearwater police are expected to up the charges against a local man who they say fled the scene of a serious accident earlier this week in which the victim later died.
Kris Paterson, 37, of Port Richey, is expected to see pending charges upgraded to vehicular homicide, authorities said in a statement. He has already been charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury.
According to police, Paterson was driving a 2021 Dodge Ram pickup that struck an 80-year-old man riding a mobility scooter at the intersection of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and Hampton Road. The crash occurred around 2:45 p.m. Monday.
The victim was initially listed as being in critical condition at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, however authorities said the man, identified as Ernest Coluzzi, succumbed to his injuries Wednesday.
Paterson was making a right turn from a business parking lot to go east on Gulf-to-Bay when the crash occurred, according to police.
“Instead of calling 911 or stopping to render aid, Paterson fled east at a high rate of speed, stopping a half-mile down the road on Bayview Avenue to get the scooter unstuck from under his vehicle,” a statement from police said. “He told officers he was aware he had run something over but was not aware it was a person. He also said he was running late for his job.”
Multiple witnesses supplied video or photos that aided officers in the investigation, police said.
“We’d like to thank the members of the community for the way they banded together after witnessing this crash,” said Police Chief Eric Gandy. “They did what this driver failed to do – call police and try to help.”
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