Driver hits motorcyclist and flees with his bike wedged under her SUV, Florida cops say

A driver left a motorcyclist seriously injured at the scene of a crash and fled with his bike wedged under her SUV, Florida authorities said.

Now, 24-year-old Rebekah Tate has been arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury and tampering with evidence, according to Brevard County court records.

Tate was arrested Sept. 4, the West Melbourne Police Department said in a news release that same day.

McClatchy News reached out to her attorney Sept. 5 but did not immediately receive a response.

In the early hours of Sunday, Sept. 1, Tate and a motorcyclist were involved in a collision, the West Melbourne Police Department said in an arrest affidavit.

But Tate kept driving with the bike stuck under the front of her vehicle until she got to a parking lot, police said. She was seen on surveillance footage trying and failing to get the motorcycle out from under her SUV, according to police.

She was seen making a phone call, then she ran through the parking lot when authorities arrived and got picked up in a black sedan, police said.

She’s accused of not calling 911 or providing aid to the motorcyclist, who police said was taken to a hospital as a trauma alert with broken bones and other injuries.

A spokesperson for the police department confirmed the motorcyclist was still in the hospital as of Sept. 5. The investigation is ongoing.

West Melbourne is on Florida’s Atlantic coast, about a 70-mile drive southeast from Orlando.

What to do if you’re in a car crash

More than 5.9 million traffic accidents were reported by police in 2022, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“No one wants to get into a car crash. But being prepared and knowing what to do if you are involved in an accident can save lives, reduce injuries and make the claims process simpler and easier,” the Insurance Information Institute said on its website.

Here are 10 things you should do if you’re in a car crash:

• Pull the vehicle over to a safe place on the side of the road if possible.

• Assess any possible injuries and make sure everyone is OK.

• Call 911 if anyone is injured.

• Assess the car damage and take photos if possible.

• Don’t leave the scene.

• If the vehicle involved was unattended, leave a note with your name and phone number.

• Note the names and contact information of everyone in the crash, the makes and models of the cars, and the location of the crash.

• Ask other drivers for a license, car registration and insurance ID.

• Report the crash to police or highway patrol.

• File an accident report even if police can’t come to the scene, and notify your insurance shortly after.

This story was originally published September 5, 2024 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Driver hits motorcyclist and flees with his bike wedged under her SUV, Florida cops say."