Cyclist Killed by Hit-and-Run Driver in New Port Richey

Cyclist killed by a hit and run

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL – According to Wfla.com, a man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash. The 43-year-old cyclist was on U.S. 19 when he was struck at about 8:40 in the evening.
The driver, a 43-year-old man from Largo, was arrested after the police received a tip through Crime Stoppers.

Hit-and-run drivers are common across the United States. According to the AAA, these drivers are becoming more common all the time, although the reason for the uptick in hit-and-run crashes is not entirely clear. When these drivers are caught, it often comes to light that they were guilty of another crime, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or driving without a valid license. This could explain the decision to attempt to flee the scene of a crash because the person might fear the legal consequences of their actions.

Unfortunately, many hit-and-run drivers are never located or identified. Police typically request the help of the public in finding people who have fled the scene of accidents. In some states, early alert systems similar to Amber Alerts, which are used for missing children, are in place to let the public contribute to the search for a hit-and-run driver after an accident.

Many police departments lack the necessary resources to carry out these investigations making it less likely that drivers will ever be apprehended.

While states have increased the legal penalties for fleeing the scene of a crash, the deterrent effect of this is undermined by the fairly decent chance a driver has of being able to escape justice.