Parrish man charged with manslaughter in hit-and-run where victim was dragged under truck

A Parrish man has been charged with the death of a 32-year-old Palmetto man in a December hit-and-run crash in which troopers say the driver intentionally struck the victim and took off, dragging the victim’s body underneath his pickup truck, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The victim, Bradley John Yost, eventually became dislodged from underneath the truck and died at the scene.

John Thomas Cray, 47, was arrested Monday and charged with manslaughter involving a weapon and leaving the scene with death, according to a news release.

At about 9:20 p.m. Dec. 6, Yost was driving a 2018 Honda Accord heading east on Bayshore Road just west of U.S. 41 and Cray was driving behind him in a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado when the two got into some sort of altercation. Yost pulled over alongside Bayshore Road and Cray pulled over alongside him.

But when Yost got out of his car and walked toward Cray’s pickup truck, Cray accelerated and hit him. Cray then drove off, with Yost lodged underneath his truck.

Yost became dislodged as Cray headed west on 73rd Street East. He was pronounced dead at the scene by North River Fire District.

This story was originally published June 3, 2019 at 10:55 PM.