Florida driver wanted for two hit-and-run crashes

A Florida bicyclist is dead after being involved in one of two early morning hit-and-run car crashes, which police believe were caused by the same driver. Police located the car involved in the accident after the first accident's victim was able to provide them a detailed description of the vehicle. The victim chased the suspect for a number of miles, but eventually lost track of the car.

Representatives with the Florida Highway Patrol say the first serious car accident occurred when the suspect slammed into another car, then fled the scene without stopping. The victim chased the suspect's vehicle, which was reportedly still attempting to evade its pursuer when it fatally struck a 27-year-old bicyclist. The suspect again failed to stop and left the crash site immediately. The first victim continued to follow the suspect, but the suspect escaped.

Several individuals living near the second accident scene went outside after hearing the crash to check on the body. An FHP trooper who reported to the scene described one neighbor growing hysterical over the victim's motionless body. The trooper then spoke with the driver from the first accident, who had followed the suspect long enough to obtain a partial tag on the offending vehicle. Police located the abandoned vehicle using this information.

A friend of the deceased victim said the man was passionate about bicycling, owning a number of bikes. "He liked riding his bicycles. He was an athletic person. He played all kinds of sports in school," the friend told media. "He didn't deserve to die like this."

Police have failed to positively identify the suspect, but say their investigation into the crash is ongoing. Officers have requested that anyone with information on either of the hit-and-run crashes contact them to possibly receive a reward.

Source: WVSN, "Police search for driver involved in 2 accidents, 1 killed," Jan. 14, 2013