TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Man Charged With Leaving Crash Site

ADVERTISEMENT

By LISA A. DAVIS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 5, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - A 45-year-old Port Richey man was arrested Tuesday, accused of a hit-and-run accident that sent an 11-year-old girl to a hospital.

Edward C. Russo Jr. of 6125 Seabreeze Drive was arrested by Florida Highway Patrol troopers on charges of driving on a suspended or revoked license with knowledge and leaving the scene of an accident with injury. He was being held Wednesday at Land O' Lakes Jail, with bail set at $5,250.

About 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, troopers were called to 5011 Beau Lane, where Dawn Shifett saw a white van hit her daughter Lacireene as the girl rode her Mongoose bicycle out of their driveway near Oelsner Street, according to a highway patrol report.

The girl was taken to Community Hospital to be treated for cuts and other injuries, the report stated. Whether she was still in the hospital Wednesday was not clear.

Witnesses jotted down the license plate number and troopers traced it to Russo, who was identified by witnesses as the driver of the van, according to the report.

Shortly after, Russo was found at his home. Troopers read him his legal rights, the report said, and he told them he was driving west on Beau Lane when suddenly the girl rode into the side of his Chevrolet van. He told troopers he gave the girl's brother his name and telephone number before leaving to drop off a co-worker and go home.

Troopers checked his driver's license number and learned he had 10 suspensions on it, according to the report.

Reporter Lisa A. Davis can be reached at (727) 815-1083 or ldavis@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT