Act Of Kindness Results In Death Of Clearwater Man

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- A Clearwater man who stopped along Interstate 275 to help a stranded motorist paid for his kindness with his life.

The Florida Highway Patrol says Dana Thomas Byrd, 30, of 51st Street North in St. Petersburg was arrested Friday night, Sept. 21, and charged with hitting and killing Dhimitri Andoni, 22, with his pickup truck, then stealing Adoni's car.

According to troopers, around 9 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 20, Adoni was traveling north on Interstate 275 near downtown St. Petersburg in his 2015 Hyundai when he saw another driver lose control and spin into the median.

Adoni pulled over to the side of the highway to see if he could help the driver who lost control. After sending the driver on his way, Adoni was walking back to his car when he was struck and killed by Byrd's 1996 Ford F-150 pickup truck.

Troopers say surveillance cameras show Byrd pulling over, getting out of his truck and walking over the Adoni. When he saw that Adoni was dead, Byrd reportedly stole Adoni's Hyundai and left his pickup truck by the side of the road.

Troopers say Byrd drove the car to Engineer Sales at 2500 25th Ave. N. in St. Petersburg where he abandoned it.

Hours later, Andoni’s father located the abandoned Hyundia with its GPS tracking device and contacted law enforcement about his missing son.

On Friday around 12:30 p.m., a Florida Department of Transportation road ranger located Byrd’s abandoned pickup truck and discovered Andoni’s body.

Byrd was arrested at his home Friday night and charged with grand theft auto and leaving the scene of an crash involving a death.

Troopers would like to speak to the driver that Adoni helped on Thursday night. That driver is asked to call the highway patrol at (813) 558-1800.

Image via Pinellas County Jail

(For more local news from Florida, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts and newsletters from Patch. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here.)