TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida doctor was taken into custody Wednesday after detectives said they were able to connect him to a deadly hit-and-run that happened in mid-October.
The crash was initially reported around 7:35 p.m. on Oct. 12, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
Multiple witnesses reported seeing a car hit a man in a wheelchair. However, the driver, later identified as Dr. Gwyn Norman Crump, Jr., 62, of Tampa, never stopped, officials said.
The victim, Richard Taylor, 53, was taken to AdventHealth Fletcher, where authorities said he died from his injuries.
As the investigation continued, detectives said surveillance cameras in the area helped them identify the vehicle and license plate. Investigators then went to Crump's home address, where he reportedly admitted to driving the car the night of the crash.
Crump was charged with leaving the scene of a crash with death, the sheriff's office said.
Crump made his first appearance in front of a Hillsborough County judge on Thursday.
He has a home on Davis Islands valued at over $2 million, but despite that, a public defender told the judge that Crump's income is limited.
"He is self-employed. However, his income has been limited for several months, and he cannot afford a bond higher than $2,000 today," the public defender said.
The Florida Department of Health's website shows Crump is licensed to practice occupational medicine in Florida. He began his practice in 1999 after earning his medical degree from the University of South Florida.
Records indicate Crump was previously charged with DUI in 1996 and again in 2003. The state health department's website did not show any disciplinary action had been taken against Crump as of Wednesday afternoon.
"I want to offer my deepest condolences to the family of the victim during this incredibly difficult time," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement following Crump's arrest. "While nothing can undo this heartbreaking loss, we hope that this arrest brings some measure of closure to their loved ones."
