Construction Worker Struck in Hit-And-Run Crash

A 26-year-old Tampa man faces a number of chargers after Florida Highway Patrol troopers say he caused two Friday morning accidents in northern Hillsborough County and then fled from both.

According to the agency, Edwin Rodriguez was driving a 1992 Honda Civic southbound on U.S. 41 near Orange Avenue around 1 a.m. Rodriguez, a highway patrol report said, came upon a construction lane closure in his path, but struck the barricades and ultimately hit Jaimes Geraldo, 33, of Clearwater in the process.

Rodriguez failed to stop, the report said, and continued south on U.S. 41 where he was involved in a second crash that is being investigated by the Tampa Police Department.

After the second collision, troopers say Rodriguez proceeded to drive to his home at 10930 N. 14th St.

A disturbance call from that address was received by the Tampa Police Department a short time later, the highway patrol reported. Police detained Rodriguez at his home and located his vehicle a short distance away.

Following the first hit-and-run, Geraldo, who works for Preferred Materials, was taken to Tampa General Hospital with critical injuries.

Rodriguez was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment of minor injuries before being charged with DUI with serious bodily injury and leaving the scene of an accident with serious injury, the patrol report said.

Details about the second accident are not readily available.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol