A 73-year-old woman from Lake Butler is in custody for hitting a pedestrian with her car on West University Avenue and leaving the scene.
Betty Jean Alexander-Bacon was apprehended by Gainesville police early Thursday after allegedly striking a person crossing near the University of Florida, which is a highly trafficked area for pedestrians.
According to the arrest report, the incident occurred around midnight in the 1300 block of West University Avenue, close to The Standard complex and Northwest 13th Street.
The pedestrian, whose identity is protected by Marcy’s Law, sustained a serious head injury and was bleeding when discovered.
The injured person was taken to UF Health Shands Hospital. No update on their condition has been provided.
Following the collision, Alexander-Bacon reportedly fled without stopping to assist the victim. She was pulled over about 20 minutes later on Northwest 13th Street, roughly 1.5 miles from the crash site.
Police noted significant damage to her front windshield. They stated that she had opportunities to pull over sooner but did not.
In her arrest report, she claimed not to have realized she hit a person and didn’t initially notice her damaged windshield. She is currently held on a $2,000 bond and faces a felony charge for hit and run.
