Man Playing Video Game Plowed Car Into 2 People, Deputies Say

DUNEDIN, FL — A 53-year-old Clearwater man was arrested Sunday after Pinellas County deputies say he drove onto a sidewalk in Dunedin while playing a video game on his phone. The man’s car struck two people before deputies say he took off from the scene.

According to the agency, Vincent E. Barone was driving westbound on State Road 580 in a Honda Civic around 2:20 p.m. Dec. 18. As he was passing the intersection of County Road 1, his Honda went off the road and hit two people who were on the sidewalk.

Witnesses told deputies Barone didn’t stop, but continued west on State Road 580 instead. A person on a motorcycle, however, followed Barone to the Oasis Convenient Store, 1401 Pinehurst Road, and called 911, an email from the sheriff’s office said.

The witness detained Barone until deputies arrived on the scene.

The two people hit during the accident were Sheree Dean, 37, of Largo and Sherman M. Puckett, 29, of Clearwater. They both suffered serious injuries and were taken to a local hospital for treatment, deputies said.

“Barone admitted to investigators that he accidentally struck the pedestrians and left the scene of the crash because he ‘panicked,’” the sheriff’s office’s email said. “Barone said he was distracted from playing a video game on his phone at the time of the crash.”

Barone was arrested on two counts of leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury. He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail Sunday and remained their Monday morning in lieu of $20,000 bond.

The sheriff’s office has not said what video game he was playing.

Booking photo courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office