Driver who ran down father of 2 outside Kissimmee Cracker Barrel still on the loose, deputies say

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Anthony Cruz was driving to work at a Cracker Barrel in Kissimmee when he says he cut off another driver by accident.

He continued to drive, but knew he was being followed and parked in an area at the restaurant he knew had surveillance cameras.

Moments after getting out of his car, Cruz was on the ground suffering from nine broken ribs, a shattered pelvis, a punctured lung and countless cuts and bruises, and the other driver, having just run him over, was speeding away from the restaurant.

Deputies recently released the surveillance video of the July 19 hit-and-run, with the hope that someone will see it and recognize the other driver, who is still on the loose.

Cruz, who is confined to a wheelchair while he recovers from his injuries, still can’t understand why someone would do something so violent because they were cut off while driving.

“I wouldn’t mind if you flick me off,” he said. “Throw something at my car. Do something, don’t run me over.

“How can somebody do this to another person over something so petty?”

At first, when the other car pulled up next to his, Cruz thought they were going to back into a parking space.

Instead, “he just floored it right at me and ran me over,” Cruz said.

He was dragged a short distance under the car before the driver sped away.

A good Samaritan rushed over and called for help, Cruz said.

Osceola County Sheriff’s Office investigators have been chasing leads for weeks, but have not been able to track down the driver of the other car.

Cruz, who is father to two young children, wants to see the other driver caught, but said he knew they would get their comeuppance regardless.

“God’s got his way,” he said. “He’ll find a way to get you. Just know, karma’s coming.”

Cox Media Group