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Man charged in postal worker's death denied bond
Aaron Mesmer reports
TAMPA, Fla. - The man accused in a hit-and-run crash that killed a beloved postal worker this week was ordered to be held without bond Friday during a court hearing in Hillsborough County.
Fifty-six-year-old Christopher Prater is charged with leaving the scene of a crash with death after evidence connected him to the incident. He tried to convince a judge to set bond and made several promises.
"Do you promise that you wouldn't drive?" Prater's attorney asked during the hearing.
"I ain't never driving no more, man," Prater responded.
He also said he has several health issues and will likely lose his home if he's not living in it.
According to court documents, Prater was driving with a revoked license, which stems from several convictions for driving with a license suspended, two convictions for driving under the influence and two convictions for refusal to submit breath, urine or blood tests.
Paul Falica, left, and Christopher Prater, right
The Hillsborough County State Attorney’s Office argued in a motion that Prater is a risk to the community based on the charges in this case, and that despite his license being revoked, he was still driving.
Hillsborough County Assistant State Attorney Christina Brown urged the judge not to believe Prater's promises.
"I think that is cognizance of guilt, and it just shows that there's nothing that can keep the community safe from his actions," Brown said.
The judge agreed with prosecutors, denying Prater the chance to post bond before his trial.
The crash happened just before 3 p.m. on Monday at the intersection of River Cove Street and Mulberry Street in Sulphur Springs.
Tampa police said 69-year-old mail carrier Paul Falica was driving when his truck was hit. It flipped over and killed him. An anonymous tip helped police track the car to a home a half-mile from the scene.
Prater's son called police after seeing a car matching the suspect's car covered in the driveway when it was usually uncovered.
Court documents say the owner of the Mercedes-Benz told police he gave Prater the keys for safekeeping but told police no one had permission to drive the car.
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Prater’s son turned him in after he saw the car police said was involved in the incident in the driveway of Prater’s home. It was covered and usually isn’t, the documents state. He also overheard his father on the phone admit that he hit someone and left. Prater’s son watched security video and identified the person driving the car as his father.
Prater told police in a sworn statement that his roommate was driving the car the day of the crash and after returning to the house, packed his stuff and left.
Investigators at scene of deadly hit-and-run crash.
Prater’s debit card and fingerprints were found inside the car. Police said surveillance video from a neighbor shows him getting in and out of the car before and after the incident. The video shows the car returned to the residence shortly after the crash with damage to the front end, including the front bumper hanging off. About 15 minutes later, the person in the video, later identified as Prater, is seen retrieving a car cover from the trunk and asking a neighbor to help him cover the car.
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Neighbors along Falica’s route said their long-time mailman was kind to everyone.
Christopher Prater mugshot courtesy of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
"It’s sad only because of the fact that he's a really sweet guy," Joya Taylor, who lives along the route, said. "I mean, he's really nice. We get a lot of packages and he's always like, ‘Hey, y'all got a lot today.’ You know, stuff like that. He's really a sweetheart," she said.
"It’s a tragedy," Christa Fowler, another neighbor, said. "It really shouldn’t have happened," Fowler said.
Crime scene tape at scene of hit-and-run crash that killed a Tampa mailman.
Falica’s family said he worked for the United States Postal Service for 40 years. He worked in Tampa since 1993 and was in New York before that. He was going to retire in February.
Prater is also charged with driving while license canceled or suspended, and revoked (death or serious bodily injury).