A shocking accident took place earlier this week in Sarasota, Florida, where the driver of a 2003 Kia Sedona minivan turned left directly into the path of a 2018 four-door Audi A3.
The collision caused the German sedan to flip multiple times into a hotel parking lot, leaving its driver, 19-year old Jackson Kelley, critically injured. Now, authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying the driver of the minivan, who then immediately fled the scene.
“It sounded like a big bomb went off”
Despite Kelley attempting to avoid the minivan, the latter still clipped the driver’s side of the Audi, causing it to go airborne and flip over violently multiple times.
“It sounded like a big bomb went off,” said Don Fuchs, who was staying in the hotel at that time. “I wanted to make sure he was all right, get him out of there before it caught fire or anything.”
According to Fox 13 News, Kelley was unconscious and already partially ejected from his Audi, which hit two other parked cars before coming to a halt. He was then taken to Sarasota Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
“We have a lot of children who come, who stay here on the weekends,” said Linda Voss, a hotel employee. “The parking lot could be crowded with kids. Luckily it happened early enough where there was no one out there.”
After the crash, the Kia minivan took off traveling north on U.S. 41. Hopefully authorities will track the driver down sooner rather than later.