He ran over a Bradenton woman and tried to flee, cops say. Witnesses chased him down

A 60-year-old Palmetto man was was charged with felony hit and run with injuries after he hit a pedestrian and tried to flee, according to the Bradenton Police Department.

Police say Tomas Martinez was driving a pickup truck, towing a trailer, in the 1900 block of 11th Street West just after 3 p.m. Monday.

According to the arrest report, Martinez drove past a pedestrian and the trailer ended up running her over.

“The defendant then knowingly left the scene,” the report states.

Witnesses chased after Martinez and caught up with him near 30th Avenue West and Ninth Street West. Police say the witnesses made Martinez return to the scene.

The victim was taken to Blake Medical Center with multiple broken bones.

Witnesses told police that the impact was so severe the trailer “jumped when it ran over the body making it obvious the defendant hit something.”

Martinez denied knowing he hit the woman.

As the investigation continued, police learned that Martinez has been convicted eight times for driving while license suspended from 1999 through 2017.

In 2016, he was categorized as a habitual traffic offender.

Martinez was booked into the Manatee County jail on two felonies and three misdemeanor charges. He was released the following day after posting more than $3,000 in bonds.