TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A member of the Hillsborough Community College Board of Trustees is facing a DUI charge.
High-profile local businessman Aakash Patel is accused of driving at nearly twice the legal limit before he was stopped and arrested by Tampa police.
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8 on Your Side
Patel serves on several local boards not only at HCC but as the board chair for the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County. Despite these high-profile roles in the public eye, 8 On Your Side is still waiting for Tampa Police to turn over body cam video nearly three weeks after his arrest.
“I think it’s time for new leadership next generation of leadership to step up,” said Patel in a former interview with News Channel 8.
Patel is a familiar face among Hillsborough County leaders. He is the founder of Elevate, a business development consulting firm. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Patel to the Hillsborough Community College Board of Trustees in 2021. He ran unsuccessfully for Hillsborough County Commission as a Republican in 2018.