Originally Syndicated on June 9, 2023 @ 9:20 am
Teresa Ann Zercher describes herself to be the Director of Clinical Operations for HCA Healthcare, where Teresa Ann Zercher works as a nurse leader. In addition to being a registered nurse, Teresa Ann Zercher has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Texas. After 24 years as a flight nurse, Teresa Ann Zercher is now a retired US Air Force Captain. From 1976 through 2001, Teresa Ann Zercher served in the USAF, rising to the rank of Capt. Flight Nursing.
Teresa Ann Zercher- A deep insight into the Incident that happened
In connection with a tragic hit-and-run accident that took place in Manatee County in 2020, an arrest has been made.
Bradenton resident Teresa Ann Zercher who is 57 years old was detained and accused of destroying evidence and fleeing the scene of an accident involving damage or death.
Around 5 p.m. on April 25, 2020, a hit-and-run accident occurred on 9th Avenue NW, west of 83rd St. NW. Joseph Richard Draius was struck by a Lincoln Navigator while he was standing on the south shoulder of 9th Avenue NW.
According to the arrest warrant, Teresa Ann Zercher’s Lincoln Navigator departed the scene. A white woman named Teresa Ann Zercher with short brown hair is seen driving the car in surveillance footage as it leaves the scene. That female, now identified as Teresa Ann Zercher, exited the vehicle and walked around to the front right corner. The video then shows her wiping something off that corner. She then gets back into the car and leaves the area.
Darius was sent to Blake Medical Center with serious wounds.
Chris Draius, Draius’ son, reported a vehicle matching the description that was parked at a Bradenton residence on April 26, 2020, to the Florida Highway Patrol Fort Myers Regional Communications Center.
When a trooper visited the house, he discovered the Lincoln Navigator in the driveway. The trooper then rapped on the door but got no response.
When they came back that evening, the troopers noticed Teresa Ann Zercher in the house’s window who matched the suspect’s description.
Kirk Zeppi, the vehicle’s registered owner, arrived at the door and informed the troopers that his lawyer had ordered him and his wife to avoid speaking with law authorities. He refused to give the soldiers his wife’s phone number.
State Trooper Kenn Watson and another trooper returned to the house on April 27, 2020. Kirk Teresa Ann Zercher instructed them to hold off on asking any questions until their attorney showed up.
When defense lawyer Brett McIntosh got there, the police indicated they were making a search warrant for the car. Without a search warrant, the Florida Highway Patrol, according to McIntosh, might seize the car, but no oral or written statements would be made at that time.
Darius succumbed to his wounds on May 21, 2020. A search warrant was used to search the car on September 14, 2020. Then, on October 22, 2021, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s lab report stated that Draius’ DNA profile matched that of the evidence found on the vehicle.
Police concluded Teresa Ann Zercher struck Joseph Richard Draius with the front of a Lincoln Navigator and then fled the scene without providing aid or making a call for help based on the evidence they had. Teresa Ann Zercher then ran from the area.
The conversation between Teresa Ann Zercher and Darius
“Our suspect did in fact stop the vehicle, exit, and check the vehicle for damage,” Trooper Watson said. “Get back into the car and then left the scene.”
“You check your vehicle,” Darius said. “You drive away, and then you try to clean up the evidence the next day, so that’s the unforgivable part for me.”
“Without the assistance of the neighbors who live in this community,” Trooper Watson said. “The Florida Highway Patrol would still be searching for this driver.”
“Again it comes back to this little old man in his raggedy shorts flashing the peace signs to everybody,” Darius said. “And anybody, some he knew some he didn’t, some who knew him as the little old gray-haired tan man flashing the sign, at all levels, it was about the community stepping up for him.”
Teresa Ann Zercher-Hit and Run Case
A hit-and-run, often known as a hit-and-run, is the illegal act of causing a collision with another vehicle and then driving away. In the majority of jurisdictions, it is regarded as an additional offense.
There may be extra responsibilities in many jurisdictions, such as sharing information about one’s financial commitments, calling for help if an emergency arises, or providing any reasonable assistance to people who are hurt or in danger. If the property owner is not there, it could also be necessary to leave a letter with important details.
History
The difficulties that early victims of traffic collisions encountered in identifying offenders and bringing them to justice led to the creation of hit-and-run regulations, which were among the first traffic rules implemented after the development of motor vehicles. In addition to the apparent advantage of being able to leave the scene swiftly (if still drivable), cars back then lacked license plates, the roads were unpaved and hence rather dusty, and drivers wore bulky goggles and dusters that effectively made them invisible.
Legal Consequences
The legal repercussions of a hit-and-run may include the suspension or termination of one’s driver’s license; in some countries, lifelong license revocation is also an option. It is generally seen as a criminal crime that carries a risk of penalties and jail time. Insurance companies frequently increase the premiums or even cancel the policies of drivers who commit this infraction.
A study titled “The Feebleminded Motorist” was written shortly after hit-and-run became a criminal violation, and the topic was later revisited in an article titled “The Psychology of Hit and Run.”
Penalties
In the United States, each state has a different definition of hit-and-run and a different set of associated sanctions. For instance, in Virginia, a crash that results in more than a specified level of death, injury, or damage to property is considered a felony; otherwise, it is a misdemeanor. In California, depending on whether there is property damage or bodily injury, the crime can be classified as an infraction, misdemeanor, or felony.
If a fatality or serious physical injury results from the collision, Texas law classifies the offense as a third-degree felony. Less severe injury collisions are punishable by a maximum five-year prison sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, a maximum one-year sentence in county jail, a maximum $5,000 fine, or both. A class B misdemeanor is the punishment for crashes that result in $200 or more in total damages but no injuries, and a class C misdemeanor is the punishment for collisions that result in less than $200 in total damages.
In New York, failing to report an event after it has occurred is a traffic infraction; if there has been a bodily injury, it is also a misdemeanor. In New York, failing to report an event after it has occurred is a traffic infraction; if there has been a bodily injury, it is also a misdemeanor. Additionally, there are far steeper penalties if an animal is hurt in a hit-and-run collision.
Penalty especially in Florida for hit and run case
If a hit-and-run driver is eventually located, the following offenses may be brought against them:
- A misdemeanor in the second degree, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a maximum fine of $500, can be brought against the offending motorist only for damage to personal property.
- A second or third-degree felony, punishable by up to 5 years in jail and a maximum $5,000 punishment, can be brought against the negligent motorist if the victim sustains physical injuries.
- If a victim perishes, the motorist may be charged with a first-degree crime and sentenced to up to 30 years in prison, with a minimum of 4 years.
- The obligatory minimum sentence for drivers who are impaired by drugs or alcohol is two years in prison. Additionally, in any situation where the offender fled the scene, driving privileges may be suspended.
What causes most drivers to leave the scene of an accident?
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find drivers who flee the scene of an accident, which makes it harder for victims to get compensation for the incident.
Among the causes of drivers leaving the scene of an accident are:
- They lack automobile insurance.
- They have a suspended license or are operating an unregistered automobile.
- They had a warrant out for their arrest or were committing another felony.
- They aren’t licensed to drive.
- They are concerned about being arrested or deported.
Teresa Ann Zercher-Concluding with some of the information on what to do if you are a victim of hit and run case
In a hit-and-run collision, you might not be able to do much more than wait for emergency personnel if you are critically hurt. If you weren’t gravely hurt, there are a few things you can do right away, though:
- Checking yourself thoroughly for injuries after being involved in a hit-and-run accident is the first thing you should do before dialing 911 and the police. Ask a witness to make these calls on your behalf if you are unable to do so.
- Tell the police as much as you can about the accident if you are able to do so. They’ll be particularly curious about the year, make, and color of the car that hit you. Give them the driver’s description and information from the license plate if you can. To offer the police the best chance of locating the driver who struck you, you should provide the cops with any information you have.
- Speak to any onlookers, including other drivers and pedestrians. If it occurs in a neighborhood or retail center, check with the nearby homes and businesses to see if anyone witnessed the occurrence, or better yet, if they have security cameras that might have recorded it.
- Especially important: take images of any essential information like vehicle damage.
