PORT ORANGE, Fla. — The woman accused of hitting Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood while he was riding his bike in Port Orange on Thursday told deputies she was shopping on Amazon on her phone when the crash occurred, according to the sheriff.
Paige Bergman, 20, is charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury.
At about 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Chitwood was struck by a car while he road his bike in the 1600 block of Town West Boulevard in Port Orange.
READ: Volusia County sheriff hit by car while riding bike for second time since 2017
Police said the Bergman fled the scene.
The vehicle was described as a 2004 to 2006 maroon Hyundai Sonata, with the right-side mirror missing as a result of the crash, police said.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office assisted Port Orange police by locating the vehicle in the 3000 block of Sardinia Terrace, Deltona, where Bergman was arrested.
Chitwood was taken to Halifax Health for his injuries. He broke his fibula, needed several stitches and has some road rash, but was back at work on Friday.
THANK YOU ALL for your well wishes, and thank you to everyone who rushed over here to help. Here's an update from the ER where they're taking GREAT care of me. To the hit and run driver- just come forward! pic.twitter.com/oXo1fej7f6
— Mike Chitwood (@SheriffChitwood) March 18, 2021
Chitwood said when the accident happened all he could think about was Deputy Frank Scofield, who was killed two years ago riding his bike and former NBA player Shawn Bradley who was recently paralyzed riding his.
“I was hit so hard that she knocked me out of my shoes,” Chitwood said.
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Chitwood said the crash was caught on camera by a Waste Pro truck. The driver of the truck, Allen Ramos, parked to help Chitwood after witnessing the crash.
“The car just swerved to the right and just hit him and they ended up slowing down and sped up and left the scene,” Ramos said.
See that video below:
Thank you all again for your messages and kind words. I have some road rash, a few stitches on the gash from the passenger side mirror and a fractured fibula that the doctors hope will heal on its own. I consider myself lucky to be back on my feet today. pic.twitter.com/phspkf9LO3
— Mike Chitwood (@SheriffChitwood) March 19, 2021
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Port Orange Police Department Traffic Homicide Investigator Phillip Slease at 386-506-5838.
READ: Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood struck by pickup truck while riding bike
This is the second time that Chitwood has been hit by a vehicle while cycling in recent years.
The young lady who hit me is in custody on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury. She says she was shopping on Amazon on her phone when she hit me. Please let this be a warning to put your phones down while you’re driving before you kill someone. pic.twitter.com/x1J3pISSk9
— Mike Chitwood (@SheriffChitwood) March 19, 2021
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