Man charged with DUI after 3 kids hurt in crash

Florida Highway Patrol troopers arrested a man in connection with a hit-and-run crash that left one child with critical injuries and two others seriously hurt.

Troopers arrested Billy Catherwood, 63, of Naples, early Thursday, according to FHP. He was charged with several counts of failure to remain at the scene of a crash with property damage and injury, three counts of DUI resulting in property damage, two counts of DUI resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, according to jail records.

Catherwood provided a breath sample of 0.15, according to FHP.

Catherwood was driving a white 2004 Ford F-150 pickup truck southbound at a high rate of speed on Interstate 75 near Sun City Center around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday when he collided with a 2004 Ford Explorer from behind, according to the FHP crash report.

The Explorer overturned in the interstate’s center grass median and two girls, ages 8 and 6, were thrown from the vehicle. The 6-year-old was critically injured and the 8-year-old girl suffered serious injuries. A 10-year-old boy also was seriously hurt in the crash, according to FHP. All three were taken to a hospital.

Only the 8-year-old was wearing a seat belt, troopers noted in the crash report.

The 35-year-old driver of the Explorer was taken to Tampa General Hospital to be treated for minor injuries, according to FHP.

Catherwood, however, took off after the crash, according to reports. The truck he was driving was found abandoned along the interstate in Manatee County later that night. He also was found in Manatee County several hours after the crash, according to FHP.

He was booked into the Manatee County jail, where he was being held without bond, jail records show.

This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 7:37 AM with the headline "Man charged with DUI after 3 kids hurt in crash."