A Port Richey woman is facing charges in connection with a hit-and-run that left a bicyclist in critical condition.
Krystle L. Latham, 27, was arrested Tuesday afternoon, the day after investigators said she hit a bicyclist in the crosswalk at the intersection of Regency Park Boulevard and Fox Hollow Drive.
The bicyclist, Anthony Georgianna, 46, was thrown onto the hood of her car, then onto the road, deputies said.
Georgianna’s family said he was a safe bike rider who obeyed the rules of the road.
"Anthony is not dumb. Anthony's not dumb at all. He's a smart man and he's big,” said the victim’s son-in-law, Westley Burnett. “Anybody could have seen him riding a bike. Anybody, a little kid, could have seen him riding a bike."
He is in critical condition at Bayonet Point Hospital. His wife, Michelle Nico-Georgianna, said doctors only give him a 20 percent chance of survival.
“He will have brain damage. That's something the doctor said,” she said. “So, we'll just have to deal with it. I'm happy as long as he's alive,”
Witnesses said the driver got out of her car, told them she’d be right back and then drove off, the report said.
"She should have never left the scene, never left my husband in the condition she did,” said Nico-Georgianna. “She should have manned up and took what she got but she took the chicken approach and left."
At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, witnesses saw what they believed to be the suspect vehicle in the crash near Grand Boulevard and U.S. 19. The witnesses contacted a nearby deputy, who pulled Latham over and detained her until troopers could investigate.
"I was so happy. She deserves everything she gets,” said Nico-Georgianna.
Latham was arrested and taken to Pasco County Jail, where she is facing charges of leaving the scene of a crash with serious injury, failure to report a crash and careless driving.