July 27. 2020
By: Staff Report, PR PCSO
LAKELAND, Fla.- Polk County Sheriff Homicide Detectives arrested 29-year-old Robert Patrick Gibson of Lakeland for the fatal hit and run of a pedestrian on Combee Road in Lakeland on July 21st, 2020.
Gibson was arrested and transported to the Polk County Jail, charged with Leaving the Scene of a Crash with Death (F-1), Tampering/Destroying Evidence (F-3), and Attaching an Unassigned Tag (M-2).
“I’m grateful our deputies were able to solve this case quickly and bring justice for the family. This isn’t the first time Gibson has left the scene of a crash. Hopefully, with him now behind bars, it will be the last,” said Sheriff Grady Judd.
According to the investigation, the victim was walking northbound on Combee Road on the east side of the road. As the northbound Ford, driven by Gibson, approached the intersection with Old Combee Road, he swerved off of the road and subsequently struck the pedestrian.
The woman was dragged by the vehicle before coming to a rest in the ditch about 101-feet from where she was struck.
Witnesses say that the Ford turned into the Citgo station at 2580 Old Combee Road, and stayed there for a brief period of time. It then fled the scene going west.
During the investigation, detectives were able to determine the green Ford Expedition involved in the crash belonged to Gibson.
Gibson told investigators that he had been involved in a crash but believed he had hit a pole. Gibson admitted he did not stop following the crash. He admitted to detectives that after he had learned of the hit and run, he thought he had probably been at fault, but still did not come forward.
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