Parrish man arrested in hit-and-run of skateboarder who nearly was struck by ambulance

Florida Highway Patrol troopers have made an arrest in the fatal October hit-and-run of a 15-year-old skateboarder on Upper Manatee River Road.

In October, troopers said they had a person of interest and had seized that person’s truck, but did not release his identity until making the arrest.

Zared Strauch, a 30-year-old Parish man, was charged with failing to stop at a crash involving death and altering or destroying evidence to conceal a crime on July 30, according to an arrest affidavit obtained Friday.

According to the arrest affidavit, 15-year-old Thomas Jaren Croumbley was skateboarding along Upper Manatee River Road around 3 a.m. Oct. 23. A Manatee County ambulance driver reported that she had almost hit the teen while transporting a patient to the hospital, troopers said.

The ambulance driver told troopers that when she was returning from the patient transport, she noticed the skateboard, as well as vehicle parts on the road, according to the affidavit. She stopped in an attempt to render aid, but the teen’s injuries were severe and ultimately fatal.

Troopers said Strauch contacted an attorney hours after the collision who advised FHP that his client wanted to turn himself in to police. Strauch came to the Bradenton Police Department for an interview, but refused to speak with investigators.

While troopers were interviewing Strauch, law enforcement officers went to his residence in an attempt to secure his vehicle, but it was gone. Troopers opted not to arrest Strauch at the time and continued to investigate.

Troopers later returned and found the vehicle the next day, noting significant front-end damage. According to the affidavit, troopers could smell a strong odor of bleach and saw wipe marks along the hood and front end of the vehicle.

Strauch’s girlfriend and her mother read about the crash on social media on the day of the crash and noticed the description of the truck matched that of Strauch’s truck, troopers said.

According to the affidavit, blood and tissue samples were obtained from the vehicle on Nov. 7, as well as paint samples because paint chips were found on the victim’s head.

On March 24, those DNA blood and tissue samples taken from Strauch’s vehicle returned as a match to the victim, according to the report.

On April 2, troopers on April 2 used a search warrant for Strauch’s cellphone and received those results on June 16.

According to the report, GPS coordinates put Strauch at the crash scene. Troopers said they also found text messages between Strauch and his girlfriend, who was urging him to call the police on the day of the crash.

“I know that it was an accident,” the girlfriend wrote. “But you made the choice to leave ... that’s what you’ll be paying for.”

The girlfriend told Strauch that if he didn’t call the police, she would, according to the report.

Strauch was booked into the Manatee County jail on July 30 and was released the following day after posting bond totaling $21,500.

Strauch is a felony criminal registrant in Manatee County, according to jail records.