Background: The Publix location in St. Petersburg, Fla. (Google Maps). Inset: Darrell Briggs (Pinellas County Jail).
A Florida man allegedly told police that he knew he hit "something" in a grocery store parking lot when he fatally struck an elderly woman and left the scene.
Darrell Briggs, 85, posted $50,000 bond after he was arrested on a charge of leaving the scene of a crash involving death. The alleged incident happened around 5 p.m. on Friday in the parking lot of a Publix grocery store in St. Petersburg, Florida. Briggs was behind the wheel when he allegedly struck 91-year-old Mary Broughton and continued driving out of the parking lot. Briggs then drove home to his apartment following the alleged crash, according to reporting by local Fox affiliate WTVT.
Broughton was taken to the hospital, where she died of her injuries.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered right to your inbox.
After officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department tracked Briggs down at his apartment, where they located the vehicle that was allegedly seen at the crash site, they placed him under arrest. According to court documents obtained by WFLA, Briggs told officers that he knew he had hit "something" in the parking lot, but he allegedly chose to drive away instead of stopping.
Briggs was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on one count of leaving the scene of a crash causing death, a felony. He posted $50,000 bond and was released on Sunday. His next court date was not made publicly available.
St. Petersburg police said that they are continuing to investigate the incident.
