Man sentenced to 20 years for hit-and-run that killed Bartow High School student weeks from graduation

Driver sentenced in student's hit-and-run death

FOX 13's Carla Bayron reports.

BARTOW, Fla. - The man who hit and killed a Bartow High School student weeks from graduation, then left the scene, is headed to prison after a judge handed down a 20-year sentence on Thursday.

Edgardo Rosado Perez appearing in court.

Case against Edgardo Rosado Perez

The backstory:

In March 2024, the Florida Highway Patrol said Edgardo Rosado Perez dropped his 18-year-old daughter off at Bartow High School and was involved in a minor crash.

He left the scene and was speeding northbound on Jackson St. near Pearl St., according to FHP, when he hit and killed Zachariah Mark Clabough, 18, who was walking to school.

Zachariah Mark Clabough was killed while walking to Bartow H.S. on Wednesday. Image is courtesy of Jordan Howell.

Perez drove away from that scene, as well, and was later arrested at the Brandon Mall.

Mugshot of Edgardo Rosado Perez. Courtesy: Polk County Jail.

At the time of the arrest, Clabough's sister told FOX 13 that her brother was about to graduate and had his cap and gown ahead of the ceremony.

Court documents show Perez pleaded guilty in February to vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash with death and leaving the scene of a crash with property damage.

What they're saying:

Clabough's relatives talked about how much they missed him and how his future was stolen right as he started a new chapter in life.

"I want Zachariah to come home, but he can't because he's dead," said Barbara Runyon, Zachariah's mom. "He's dead because Edgardo killed him."

"Zach was enjoying life like he usually does," said Hunter Clabough, Zachariah's brother. "Going to school, playing video games. He was there for everybody else. Skateboarding. Hanging out."

"He had so much more life to live, and now he'll never do the things he loved and dreamed of doing, all thanks to you," said Emma Leighhaviland, Zachariah's girlfriend addressing Perez.

"If this defendant didn't blow through that stop sign at 75 miles per hour, Zachariah would still be here today," said Assistant State Attorney Courtney Durden. "What happened to Zachariah was completely avoidable."

The other side:

While asking for leniency, Perez's wife testified he was stressed and was balancing multiple jobs. Perez himself told Judge Michelle Pincket he was very remorseful.

"I would like to apologize before the family," said Perez. "It was not intentional. It was a bad decision that I made in my life."

"The only thing I hope for is that you're used as an example for stricter punishment for reckless driving in Polk County," said Dakota Runyon, Zachariah's sister. "All I ask is that his senseless death not be in vain."

What's next:

Perez will serve his 20-year sentence with credit for time served.

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The Source: This story was written with information collected by FOX 13's Carla Bayron, a court hearing on April 10, 2025 and previous FOX 13 News reports.

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