Eric Robinson said he and his friends never saw the car coming.
Standing outside of Old Man Frank's restaurant and bar in Winter Haven early Saturday morning, Robinson and his friends suddenly found themselves sprawled on the ground after a car plowed into them.
"He just came through the parking lot with his lights off," said Robinson, who suffered road rash and a broken bone. "Just flushing through the parking lot and hit us."
According to Winter Haven police, the driver of the Chrysler 300 that hit the crowd was Buddy Bailey.
"He hit me so hard it knocked some of my memory out," Robinson said.
Buddy Bailey has been charged with three counts of of aggravated battery with a motor vehicle and one count each of leaving the scene of a crash involving injury, driving with a suspended license and violation of probation.
Authorities said an argument broke out at 2 a.m. in the parking lot between and Bailey and three other men. According to police, Bailey got into his car and drove directly into a crowd outside the bar, striking Robinson and his friends.
"My friends say after he did hit us, we were airborne, and after we hit the ground he tried to run us over again," Robinson said. "Well he did, they said he ran us over again. Like he really tried to kill us."
Bailey then drove off, officials said. Witnesses who knew Bailey were able to positively identify him. Also, a surveillance camera outside of the bar caught the moment the car struck the people in the parking lot.
Police caught up with Bailey Saturday afternoon at his home in Lakeland. Authorities say Bailey only confirmed that he was at the bar on Friday night and would not make any further statements to investigators.
Bailey was arrested and charged with three counts of of aggravated battery with a motor vehicle and one count each of leaving the scene of crash involving injury, driving with a suspended license and violation of probation.
The owner of the bar said the crash may have happened because of the lack of sidewalks and bad judgment.
"I just think this was carelessness on the person driving," said Phillip Vanwinkle, the owner of the bar. "I think that was the major implication on who was at fault. But I think that if we had sidewalks out here I don’t think things would happen."
Bailey's bond was initially set at $52,000, but due to his being on probation in another state, he is currently being denied bail.
Robinson, meanwhile, is hoping Bailey remains in jail.
"I just want justice," Robinson said. "That’s all I want."
A surveillance camera outside of the restaurant/bar captured the moment the car (bottom right) struck three people.