A man was arrested in a fatal Tampa hit-and-run that caused the death of an adult black male in his early 40s.
On November 19th at approximately 2:55am, Tampa Police responded to the report of a fatal hit and run. Officers arrived to find an adult black male in his early 40s who had been struck by a vehicle near N. Orient Rd. and E. 8th Ave. He died because of the injuries sustained in the crash.
Video footage of the Central Florida suspect vehicle was quickly gathered by investigators and shared with the community to generate tips. During the investigation, detectives also recovered parts at the scene that identified the vehicle as a 2014 Nissan Titan pickup truck.
Following up on leads, investigators located the suspect truck at Summersun Ct. The vehicle was found to have damage consistent with the dynamics of the crash. The vehicle parts that had been recovered from the scene also matched missing parts from the vehicle, and additional evidence was gathered confirming involvement in the hit and run fatality.
The owner of the vehicle, later identified as Manuel Gonzalez, was reportedly the only driver of the vehicle and the only one with access to the keys. Witnesses reported that they observed Gonzalez returning home in the early morning hours with damage to the Titan.
According to local law enforcement, Gonzalez was arrested at his home and charged with Leaving the Scene of a Crash Resulting in Death (Vulnerable Road User). He was transported to Orient Road Jail.
The Nissan Titan pickup truck was impounded as evidence.
