Bradenton man charged with vehicular homicide after running from fatal crash, FHP says 

A Bradenton man is in jail after he ran from the scene of a three-vehicle crash that left a pedestrian dead on State Road 70 on Friday night, Florida Highway Patrol said in a news release.

Gustavo DeLeon, 21, is charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a crash with death, driving without a license and reckless driving.

The crash happened at 6:40 p.m. on S.R. 70 on the west side of the intersection as U.S. 41.

Troopers say that DeLeon was driving a sedan westbound on S.R. 70 when he hit an SUV that was attempting to make a left turn onto northbound U.S. 41. After hitting the SUV, troopers say DeLeon’s car then struck a 60-year-old Bradenton man who was standing on a raised median divider on S.R. 70, west of U.S. 41.

The pedestrian then collided with a Sarasota County bus that was traveling east on S.R. 70.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene.

The occupants of the SUV, a 24-year-old Bradenton woman and two girls, sustained minor injuries in the crash.

The driver of the Sarasota County bus and two passengers also had minor injuries, FHP said.

After the crash, troopers say that DeLeon ran from the scene on foot. Law enforcement arrested him on Friday and he was booked into the Manatee County Jail on Saturday, jail records show. His injuries were listed as serious, and his face was bloodied in a mugshot image posted by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

DeLeon is held in lieu of over $160,000 in bond.

This story was originally published July 30, 2023 at 1:00 PM.