Florida’s Martin County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday that they apprehended a hit-and-run suspect by geo tracking the victim’s missing earbud to the suspect’s car.
The sheriff’s office admitted that this was “an unusual way to locate a hit and run crash suspect,” whom they identified as 49-year-old Peter Bradford Swing. (RELATED: ‘Tight TImeline’: Bodycam Video Shows Officer Rush To Burning Car To Help Rescue Survivor)
Law enforcement alleges that Swing conducted a hit-and-run that injured a 15-year-old bicyclist Wednesday. The teen “was wearing earbuds at the time of the collision, one of which flew into the driver’s SUV upon impact and lodged under a floor mat inside the vehicle,” the sheriff’s office said. It was this missing piece of equipment that allowed law enforcement to find the suspect. Someone allegedly attempted to hide the damaged car, but deputies located it anyway, police said.
Swing admitted to the incident and said that he had panicked at the time of the crash, the sheriff’s office said. Swing mentioned that he previously served time for drug-related charges.
Swing was “charged with Leaving the Scene of a Crash with great Bodily Injury.” The 15-year-old bicyclist “is being treated for his injuries, but is expected to recover.”
Swing is being held without bond, WPBF reported.
“When we have something as horrific as a human being being hit, a 15-year-old boy, then the driver is just driving off, that’s reprehensible,” Sheriff William Snyder said, the outlet reported.
The victim’s mother said she was happy that the suspect had been apprehended and that her son in his own way played a role “in finding him,” according to WPBF.
