Hit-And-Run Accident Kills Man, Seriously Injures 3-Year-Old Boy In Pasco; Driver Arrested

PASCO COUNTY, FL — A 22-year-old Dade City man has been arrested after being accused of fleeing a hit-and-run crash that killed a man and left a 3-year-old boy with serious injuries.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, at 7:24 p.m. Saturday, Austin James Hernandez was driving a Dodge Ram2500 pickup truck south on State Road 575, approaching Old Polk Road when he lost control at a curve in the road, crossed the center line and crashed nearly head on into an Ford F150 pickup truck driven by a 40-year-old Webster man.

The Webster man and his passenger, a 3-year-old boy, were taken to the hospital where the Webster man died and 3-year-old is in serious condition. Neither were wearing seatbelts, according to troopers.

The highway patrol said Hernandez fled the scene but troopers found him near Flanders and Mercer roads and took him into custody.

He's charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving an injury and a fatality.