NORTH PORT, Fla. — Florida Highway Patrol troopers are searching for a driver who struck a man standing next to a disabled vehicle on I-75.
The crash happened around 7:00 p.m. near Exit 193, Jacaranda Blvd., on New Year's Eve.
Zachary Edmonds said his girlfriend ran out of gasoline on her way to work. He brought her gas can and was filling up her car when he was struck by a vehicle.
Their disabled car was pulled off onto the shoulder of the highway.
"I remember waking up on the concrete. I remember everything after that, but just not the process of actually getting hit," said Zachary Edmonds.
Edmonds suffered a broken humerus, road rash and abrasions to his face. He also has soft tissue damage in his left leg. He said it's difficult to sleep or sit for long periods of time.
"When it came to finally getting into the ambulance, a lot of adrenaline wore off, and I just remember drifting in and out of consciousness, kept asking them, am I going to die? Is this worse than I think it is?" said Edmonds.
Edmonds said he is unable to work because of his injuries. His family has started a GoFundMe page to help pay medical expenses and bills.
Last year, The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported 101,759 hit-and-run crashes with at least 262 deaths and more than 20,000 injuries.
Leaving the scene of a crash with injuries is a second or third-degree felony, and a driver, when convicted, will have their driver's license revoked for at least three years and can be sentenced to up to five years in prison and incur a $5,000 fine.
Drivers who leave the scene of a crash with a fatality face a first-degree felony with a mandatory minimum of four years in prison, and they could be sentenced to up to 30 years and incur a $10,000 fine.
FHP has not located the driver who hit Edmonds. An FHP spokesperson said it was a gray or silver vehicle involved.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Florida Highway Patrol.
