An alleged drunk driver is accused of operating down a single mom on an E-bike in Florida and driving for blocks along with her caught in his windshield earlier than being arrested at a liquor retailer.
Xavier Omar Rigby, 22, was driving a 2021 Nissan Altima “at a excessive price of pace” in St. Petersburg on Saturday, when he allegedly struck 38-year-old Kjersten Aileen-Hermance Strang as she was using her E-bike within the curb-side lane, in line with authorities.
Rigby allegedly slammed into the rear of Strang’s bike with a lot power that it despatched her flying into the windshield of his Altima.
Police stated he continued to drive for eight blocks with Strang hanging out of the windshield earlier than her physique was “dislodged from the car” and fell into the street.
The suspect then left the scene with out calling 911 or ready for first responders.
Strang was pronounced useless on the scene, police stated.
St. Petersburg Law enforcement officials caught Rigby a short time later at a liquor retailer a few mile away from the place the crash occurred, exhibiting “indicators of impairment.”
Police stated they smelt alcohol on Rigby’s breath, eyes bloodshot, and he was slurring his phrases.
After refusing to take a area sobriety take a look at, he was instantly arrested.
The alleged drunk driver was booked into the Pinellas County Jail.
He was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving demise, vehicular murder leaving the scene, and DUI manslaughter.
Throughout his first courtroom look Monday, Decide Elizabeth Zuroweste wasted no time blasting Rigby’s prison previous and his half within the lethal crash, Fox 13 reported.
“Right here you might be with a previous main the scene [of a crash with property damage] from 2022,” Zuroweste stated.
“Then, in 2024, the state was beneficiant sufficient to cut back your DUI to a reckless [driving charge]. For functions of bond, it’s a DUI.”
Rigby’s report contains dashing greater than 30 mph over the restrict.
He additionally has a previous DUI that required DUI college and a MADD sufferer impression panel.
Extra expenses embrace driving on the unsuitable aspect of a divided freeway and an open container cost, in line with Fox 13.
“Right here we are actually. We’ve now gone to a second DUI, however this time with extraordinarily aggravating information, the place you’ve killed someone, left the scene and dragged their physique, and I don’t even must go any additional for a way aggravating these set of information are,” the decide stated.
Zuroweste set Rigby’s bond at $750,000 for the DUI manslaughter, however then gave him no bond for his vehicular murder cost since she thought of him a “hazard to the neighborhood.”
“I’m discovering that you simply’re a hazard to the neighborhood and that nothing else can safe your decision-making and placing your life and everybody else’s life on the street, so that you’re going to stay at no bond within the vehicular murder and the leaving the scene of a crash involving demise,” she stated.
Strang was a single dad or mum to a younger son when she was allegedly struck and killed by Rigby’s, in line with a GoFundMe set as much as assist help her household.
Her family members described the mom as an “angel” and one of the vital caring individuals locally, Fox 13 reported.
