TAMPA, FL — Investigators in Hillsborough County say a nighttime crash on a busy Tampa road killed an 82-year-old pedestrian who was using a walker, then set off a four-day search for the driver. Deputies say the vehicle kept going after the impact, leaving the victim on the roadway.
The case ended July 30 when the suspected driver turned herself in at Orient Road Jail, according to the sheriff’s office.
What deputies say happened at the intersection
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office says Francisco Lugo was crossing Bruce B. Downs Boulevard at North 43rd Street just after midnight when a northbound Kia Sorento struck him. Deputies found Lugo unresponsive at the scene and began life-saving efforts before fire rescue crews arrived.
He was later pronounced dead. The crash happened in an intersection that carries steady traffic through the county, adding to the urgency of the investigation.
How investigators say they identified the SUV
Detectives say they were able to connect the Kia Sorento to 34-year-old Danielle Grant. A warrant was issued charging her with leaving the scene of a crash involving death, which Florida treats as a felony offense…