By Tamas Mondovics
Brandon area resident Connie Lindsay is considered a woman of valor demonstrating exemplary service in the Tampa Bay community by promoting the developmental and social needs of veterans that have fallen victim to homelessness. In 2006 Lindsay founded Liberty Manor for Veterans, which she runs with the support of her husband David, 46, providing supported housing to honorably discharged veterans.
Unfortunately, the couple’s generosity was not returned in their time of need as the two became victims of a hit and run crash that left Connie lying unconscious on the ground, and her badly injured husband begging for help that did not come.
As of writing this article, deputies are still searching for a Gold Lexus SUV with damage to the left front, and the driver is described as a white female between the ages of 48 – 55 with shoulder length blonde hair.
According to witnesses and the crash report, the couple were riding their 2003 Honda Shadow, traveling south on Bell Shoals Rd. in Valrico nearing the east exit of Walmart located on the southwest corner of Bloomingdale Ave. and Bell Shoals. Deputies said the suspect was traveling north on Bell Shoals Rd. in the turning lane, attempting to turn left into the Walmart parking lot when she turned in front of the Lindsay’s motorcycle. Unable to avoid hitting the left front end of the SUV, the couple crashed the bike into the car.
“I asked her to help us, but she just drove off,” David said.
Deputies said the SUV fled the scene and was last observed traveling north through the Walmart parking lot. Connie and David were transported to the hospital with non life threatening injuries and, while facing some time to fully recover physically, the emotional scar of the incident will no doubt take much longer to heal.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, there were 1,458 hit and run crashes countywide in the past year.
“The Sheriff’s Office hopes that for moral reasons, people stop at all crashes especially those with injuries,” said HCSO Public Information Officer Larry McKinnon. “Under the laws in Florida, hit and run can be a very serious crime with very substantial penalties, depending on what happened in the accident.”
Anyone with any information in reference to the hit and run are asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 247-8200. Anyone with information regarding the identity and whereabouts of this suspect or suspects vehicle can be eligible for a cash reward when calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or text “CSTB plus your tip” to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).
