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Transient Arrested In Deadly Hit-Run, St. Pete Police Say

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By STEPHEN THOMPSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 31, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - A transient was arrested Wednesday evening, 11 days after he fatally struck a motorcyclist with a car he had borrowed and did not stop, authorities said.

John Christopher Jenkins, 38, was charged with, among other things, leaving the scene of an accident involving death.

At 3:18 a.m. Jan. 19, Jenkins pulled onto 22nd Avenue North from 29th Street into the path of a 2007 Honda motorcycle ridden by Matthew A. Jeroski, 32, of St. Petersburg, said St. Petersburg Police Department spokesman George Kajtsa.

Jenkins either failed to stop at a stop sign or failed to yield to the motorcyclist, Kajtsa said.

Jeroski was thrown from his motorcycle onto the hood of the Toyota, Kajtsa said. Jenkins exited the car and ran, Kajtsa said.

Jeroski was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the time of the collision, Jenkins was staying with someone in a mobile home in Pinellas Park. On Wednesday, members of the police department's street crimes unit saw him walking past a Publix supermarket on his way to a Subway sandwich shop and arrested him, Kajtsa said. He had a crack pipe in his possession, Kajtsa said.

Jenkins also was charged with possession of cocaine, driving with a license that had been suspended or revoked and failing to appear to answer to a charge of driving with a license that that had been suspended or revoked.

He was being held at Pinellas County Jail this morning. Bail has been set at $95,013, according to jail records.

Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336 or spthompson@tampatrib.com.

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