Truck swerves into Pinellas Park bicyclist, keeps going

PINELLAS PARK (FOX 13) - Dash-cam video released by police Thursday shows a scary hit-and-run crash that sent a bicyclist to the hospital.

It happened around 8 p.m. last Friday at the intersection of U.S. Hwy 19 N. and 70th Avenue North in Pinellas Park. The video, taken from another driver’s dash-cam, shows Duncan Craver walk his bicycle through the U.S. 19 crosswalk at 70th Avenue North.

Craver stops at the median to wait for traffic.  That’s when a southbound Chevrolet Silverado weaved out of its lane and hit the 20-year-old, knocking him to the ground.

"I looked to my right and I saw the truck coming at me," Craver said Thursday. "I had no time to move or nothing."

In the video, the Silverado keeps going while other vehicles stop to help Craver. He was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

"I had a hard time talking, (I was) making moaning noises, and just laid back," he said. "I watched him take off."

Duncan's mother, Nancy, has viewed the video as well.

"My heart went right into my stomach," she said. "I said I can't believe he actually survived that."

Police have serious questions for the pickup driver.

"The noise that is incurred from that. The jostling of the vehicle," said Sgt. Mike Lynch of the Pinellas Park Police Department. "I find it very hard to believe he didn't know he struck something or someone."

Also, the pickup's wheels are raised, as if the pickup itself is on the median when it hits Duncan. 

Police say Duncan didn't cross properly, but point out the driver wasn't fully on the road either.

"Was he intentionally aiming for that individual? Or was he distracted? " asked Lynch. "Unfortunately, we have a lot of distracted drivers out there."

Duncan was supposed to start a new job as a landscaper in a matter of days. 

Now, he's waiting for the soreness to go away, and for police to catch the person who did this.

"I want him put away for a while," said Nancy Craver. "If I am out driving my car and I hit somebody, I am going to do the right thing. You stop, are you OK, do you need the ambulance?"

Because the bicyclist was not crossing legally, it's possible that the driver of the pickup would not be facing charges right now if he hadn't left, police say.

Police are still looking for the driver of the gold Silverado.  They are asking anyone with information to call PPPD at 727-369-7864.