Man Who Hit Woman With Ford Expedition Arrested: Police

LAKELAND, FL — Police arrested a 29-year-old in connection with the hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian in Lakeland July 21, a police news release said.

Robert Patrick Gibson was arrested by the Polk County Sheriff's Office Saturday after detectives found a green Ford Expedition they said was involved in the crash and belonged to Gibson.

The victim has not been identified yet other than as a 50 to 60-year-old woman who was found dead in the ditch, officials said.

Law enforcement found her body about 101 feet from where she was hit on Combee Road. Police said she was dragged by the vehicle before coming to a rest in a ditch.

Gibson told police he thought he hit a pole and not a person and did not stop after the crash on Combee Road, authorities said.

After he heard about the hit-and-run crash, detectives said that Gibson thought he had been at fault but did not contact police.

“I’m grateful our deputies were able to solve this case quickly, and bring justice for the family," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement. "This isn’t the first time Gibson has left the scene of a crash. Hopefully, with him now behind bars, it will be the last.”

Polk County public court records show that Gibson was arrested in 2015 for leaving the scene of an injury crash.

Gibson was taken to the Polk County Jail.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office said Gibson is charged with leaving the scene of a crash with death, tampering/destroying evidence and attaching an unassigned tag.

Related: Woman Dies In Hit And Run In Lakeland; Police Search For Suspect