ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A rush-hour commute turned deadly on Gandy Boulevard Wednesday evening, sparking an investigation that stretched from St. Petersburg to Plant City.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the incident occurred just before 5 p.m. near the 10300 block of Gandy Boulevard. Troopers say a 66-year-old pedestrian was attempting to cross the highway when he walked into the westbound lanes and was struck by a Ford Crown Victoria.
The collision left the pedestrian, a St. Petersburg resident, with critical injuries. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
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Investigators allege that the driver of the Crown Victoria did not stop to render aid or wait for authorities. Instead, the vehicle fled the scene, initiating a search by law enforcement.
Troopers eventually tracked the vehicle and the suspect to Plant City later that evening. The driver, identified as 58-year-old John Guy Delucchi of St. Petersburg, was taken into custody.
Delucchi has been charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving a death.
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