FL Hit-And-Run Suspect Knew He Hit ‘Something,' Was Late For Work: CPD

CLEARWATER, FL — The suspect in a hit-and-run crash that left a man on a scooter critically injured Monday told investigators that he knew that he hit “something,” but was late for work, Clearwater police wrote in a Facebook post.

Kris Paterson, 37, of Port Richey was driving a pickup truck that hit an 80-year-old man riding a mobility scooter at the intersection of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and Hampton Road. He was making a right turn from a business parking lot to go east on Gulf-to-Bay at the time of the crash.

He sped away from the scene, stopping a half-mile down the road on Bayview Avenue to get the scooter unstuck from under his vehicle, police said.

Paterson told officers that “he was aware he had run something over but was not aware it was a person,” according to police. “He also said he was running late for his job.”

Multiple witnesses had video or photos from the crash that helped officers in their investigation.

The victim, Ernest Coluzzi, remains in critical condition at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa.

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

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