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Teen Charged After Hit And Run Pedestrian Death
September 10, 2012
A 16-year old is facing charges after a hit and run in a Santa Rosa County accident that claimed the life of a 20-year old pedestrian.
Ricky Shane Weldon was walking north in the center of the northbound lane of Farm Life Road about 8:15 Friday night when he was struck by a 1985 Ford F150 driven by Robert William Chapman, 16. Chapman then fled the scene, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Weldon was knocked into the southbound lane where he was struck by a southbound 2001 GMC Sierra driven by 21-year old Courtney Renee Fleming.
Champman turned himself in to the Santa Rosa Count Sheriff’s Office and the FHP about two hours later. He was charged with leaving the scene with death and transported to the Juvenile Justice Center in Pensacola.
The accident investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol is continuing.
Comments
22 Responses to “Teen Charged After Hit And Run Pedestrian Death”
Fact of the matter is pedestrians have the right of way. An if the 16 year old is that immature why is he driving. He fled the scene. Yes Ricky might have been in the middle of the road but if the 16 year old wouldn’t have left the scene he could have possibly saved Ricky by getting him out of the road an called 911, then he wouldn’t be in as much trouble as he is now, Or being charged with anything. Maybe this will teach him a lesson.
If you have ever driven on Farm Life Road, American Farms Road or any other roads in that area after dark you know that there are no street lights. Not the safest place to be walking in the road after the sun goes down.
When the kid left the scene he made it so no matter what the facts of the case are he’s screwed. The guy could have been crawling down the street and if you hit and kill him you will probably not be charged BUT when you leave the scene you shift all the blame to yourself…Stupid kid!
My son and his fiancee were the first ones to drive up on this scene. My son got out to check on the victim while his fiancee called 911. They saw headlights coming toward the scene and tried to stop or slow them down. The car kept coming and hit the victim dragging him. They were devastated to say the least at witnessing this. It is something you never forget. Prayers are with everyone.
Molino Mom: In response to your questions, the article states it was 8:15pm on Friday night and the boy turned himself in 2 hours after the accident.
I agree that there should be some punishment because this boy must not have been paying attention and should not have left the scene but why was someone walking in the middle of the street after dark? Obviously, drivers shouldn’t hit people walking in the street AND obviously people shouldn’t be walking in the middle of the road after dark. Since the deceased was hit by the boy and then another vehicle there must have been traffic flowing so again, why was he walking in the street in traffic after dark? No where in the article does it say what the pedestrian was wearing so he could potentially have been wearing dark clothing. I feel confident the boy didn’t do this purposefully so the punishment shouldn’t be too harsh. It’s so unfortunate that this person was killed but he placed himself in an extremely hazardous situation that could easily have been avoided.
Either way, sad situation for this kid and even sadder for the family of the man who was killed.
REGARDING:
“This kid should not have been speeding,”
I don’t see where it says he WAS speeding.
It just says he left the scene of the accident afterward.
David for accuracy and caution
and facing oncoming traffic
Actually Mr. Wheaton it is stated correctly by both ‘wake up’ and the article. What is a person doing walking down the center of the road? As for your rebuttal, I imagine only insane persons would run down people in the road intentionally . Velocity vs. Reaction Time.
This is indeed very tragic and will affect many of people, but think of the situation, maybe both driver and “victim” hold a little blame. This kid should not have been speeding, in which case , driving laws should be cracked down on so things like this are avoided but this kid has to live with this the rest of his life, and i’m sure he will need support. And the victim should not have been jay walking but either way I believe the driver should be charged but held lightly because it was an accident and he probably feels guilty enough.
No “Richard Head” “Wakeup” did not state it very well! IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DRIVER NOT TO HIT PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD! Plain and simple. Now if the person that was hit was wearing all black and it was the middle of the night then I understand that there was an extenuating circumstance. But I’ll bet you even that may not be enough of an excuse for a Judge! OK I’m done.
I hope everything works out for this young man/woman but I don’t think it looks good.
May you rest in peace Ricky!!!!! We love you and will miss you deeply!!!!
Drivers and pedestrians both PLEASE be carefull on our roadways!!!
This is very sad! I have a 16 year old son, and I was just imaging how my son
would’ve reacted. He may have done the same thing. This would be traumatizing to a 16 year old and his first thought was probably get home where he was safe. Of course, we don’t have all the facts. We don’t know why or where he fled to. Was it nighttime or day? Did he see the man he hit (remember the man was in the road) The article states “He later turned himself in”….how much later? The same day? The following day? We don’t know. He may have hurried home to his parents because he was scared and they told him the right thing to do. This is just sad all the way around!
And I also agree 16 years old is WAY too young for a drivers license. My son has taught me that lesson!
Leaving the scene is leaving the scene whether you are 16 or 60. I agree he was scared but the next time an older person hits someone and leaves because they were scared do we let them go too?
Thanks Matt I couldn’t have said it better myself. But I think that point is lost to many of the readers here.
I don’t know the road involved, so I cannot comment. I agree with Everett that Cervantes/New Warrington Road in Pensacola has a terrible problem with people staggering around in the middle of the road at all times of the night or day. As of right now a pedestrian death is under investigation at that location.
The speed limit is 25 mph on a perfectly straight road with no obstructions in a residential neighborhood where pedestrians are common. Charges are still pending, so don’t be too swift to assign blame yet.
@wake up. Very well stated
this is terrible for all parties involved!! wow, bless the pedistrians family, and may they heal. but in the same view, wake up is right. the man was walking in the middle of the road, and i am sure the kid driving was terrified. i cant even imagine running into a person. i hit threee horses about 2 months ago, and that about broke my heart. i hope everything goes ok, and i will pray for everyone!
Try rereading my statement. I realize that what i wrote required the reader to infer some meaning. And i apologize for that i should have been more obvious. No “wake up” you obviously aren’t able to comprehend the written word. I’m not blaming the pedestrian. That’s ridiculous! I’m merely stating that a sixteen year old driver doesn’t have enough driving experience to be trusted with a drivers license.
It’s called Jay walking. See it everyday on Cervantes from New Warrington to 9th Ave.
Don’t charge the driver.
I am sure Mr. Wheaton was refering to the obvious lack of driving experience a 16 has, coupled with the fact that he/she, at that age, does not yet have the mental reasoning to make the decisions that an adult would in the same situation. Fleeing from a hit and a run shows the immaturity in that individual, likely because of their age… their minds only think of the “here and now” issue at hand, not the larger picture.
Walking in the middle of a travel lane and blaming the pedestrian being hit because the driver is a 16 y/o is similar to someone walking down a set of railroad tracks and blaming the engineer for not stopping the train in time. I’m sure at 16 the driver was scared to death and didn’t know what to do. More hit & runs are committed by drivers older than 16. So the logic stated by Wheaton would insinuate any aged person should not have a driver’s license as there has been someone commit this offense from ages 16-90.
A tragic episode in the lives of many families to be sure. But Another example of why a sixteen year old should not have a drivers license.