Port Richey man hits 80-year-old on mobility scooter, didn’t stop because he was late for work: police

Rachel Tucker
·1 min read
12

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A driver was accused of speeding away after hitting an 80-year-old on a mobility scooter in Clearwater.

Kris Paterson, 37, of Port Richey was turning onto Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard when he struck the man on the scooter, according to the Clearwater Police Department.

Paterson was accused of dragging the scooter under his pickup for half a mile before stopping to pull it out from under the truck. He told officers he knew he hit something, but did not know that he struck a person, and was late to his job, according to Clearwater police.

The crash was witnessed by several people who gave photos and videos to police, helping them track down the suspect.

“We’d like to thank the members of the community for the way they banded together after witnessing this crash,” Clearwater Police Chief Eric Gandy said in a statement. “They did what this driver failed to do – call police and try to help.”

Paterson was booked into the Pinellas County Jail and charged with leaving the scene of a crash with serious injury.

The victim, identified as Ernest Coluzzi, remained in critical condition at St. Joseph’s Hospital on Tuesday.

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