PORT RICHEY, Fla. — A man is in custody and charged over a hit-and-run that took the life of a 26-year-old bicyclist last week, officials confirmed on Friday.
Jason Closson, 42, is charged with hitting Trevor Crawford on June 15 on Ridge Road near Old Ridge Road and leaving the scene. It happened around 9:45 p.m.
Crawford's family said he was riding his bike to work for a late shift when he was hit.
"He was on the shoulder of the road," Crawford's mother, Jennifer, said. She previously said she couldn't understand how someone could hit her son and leave the scene.
"How can you hit a human being and keep going? What kind of monster are you to do that to a human being? Even if it's an animal, how can you just keep going? But that was a human...that was my baby," said Jennifer.
Closson was arrested on Thursday morning. He's charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving a death and driving while his license was suspended, resulting in a death.
Crawford's family said on Monday they were hopeful an arrest was coming soon.
Crawford's sister, Ariel, said her brother always wore a smile and had a great sense of humor.
"I never knew how many people he had that cared about him, and I just wanted to recognize them. I've gotten so many messages, and it's helped me a lot because everyone who knew him said how loving and kind he was," said Ariel Crawford.
The family collects donations on a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses.
"I'm angry. I'm hurt. I feel like I'm in a nightmare like I can't believe this is real. I feel like I'm going to wake up any minute from this nightmare," said Jennifer.
