Arrest Made in Fatal 2014 Holiday Hit-And-Run

HOLIDAY, FL — A Tampa man was arrested Wednesday, nearly two years after a hit-and-run along U.S. 19 in Holiday claimed the life of an 80-year-old Palm Harbor woman.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Virginia L. Hughes was walking east across the northbound lanes of U.S. 19, near Moog Road, around 7:23 p.m. on Dec. 30, 2014. As Hughes was crossing, a 2014 BMW driven by John W. Burke, who was 65 at the time, was headed north on U.S. 19.

Troopers say Hughes walked into Burke’s path and was hit by the BMW. Burke, however, failed to stop after the crash and “fled the scene at a high rate of speed.”

Hughes was taken to Northbay Hospital, but later died from her injuries. Troopers followed a lead into Tampa shortly after the crash. There they say they found the black BMW witnesses described at the scene.

Burke was arrested on leaving the scene of a crash involving death charges Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2016. The delay between the time of the crash and the arrest was due to the investigation, Sgt. Steve Gaskins said. Evidence and witness statements had to be collected to eliminate any others as a possible driver, he said.

Photo courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol