Last week, Mickey Bearden was not sure if he hit something with his motor vehicle while he was driving along St. Joe Road. Bearden, a 24-year old man, didn’t bother to stop, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.
Bearden had actually hit a pedestrian, Michael Weiss, a 41-year old man from Dade City. Records indicated that Weiss was seriously injured and was transported to Tampa General Hospital after being hit by Bearden’s 2009 two-door Toyota near 23rd Street.
After Bearden left the scene of the accident involving Weiss, he was arrested at a gas station near 21st Street, which was stated in records. Beardon was charged with leaving the scene of a crash with injuries, but more charges may arise after toxicology tests are completed, according the Florida Highway Patrol.
It turns out that Bearden, who is also from Dade City, was wanted as a fugitive from justice in Fulton County, Georgia, where he was charged with possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and other drugs, records stated. Bearden was being held without bail at the Land O’Lakes jail.
Thousands of pedestrians are injured every year by motor vehicles in Florida. A recent traffic crash statistics report by the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles division showed that 7,754 pedestrians were injured and 546 were killed in just one year alone. Injuries resulting from pedestrian accidents are generally severe as the pedestrian has no protection when hit by a car, truck, SUV or van. In 2007, the total number of people injured in auto accidents declined, except in pedestrian and motorcyclist accidents.
