Police ID victim in fatal Pinellas Park hit-and-run

The man killed in a fatal hit-and-run accident Monday morning in Pinellas Park has been identified as William W. Trotter, 60, of Clearwater, police said.

The driver of the black Chrysler 300 that struck Trotter's Toyota Camry was identified Monday night as Anthony Bernard Peterson, 21, of St. Petersburg, the Pinellas Park Police Department said.

After the crash, a passenger in the Chrysler 300 helped Peterson out of the car. They both were picked up by friends who had also left the Bottom's Up Gentlemen's Club in Pinellas Park, police said.

Peterson had a broken leg and asked his friends to take him to a hospital out of the county, police said. They took him to Manatee Memorial Hospital, where Peterson was admitted at 3 a.m. Monday and went into surgery at 6 a.m. to repair a broken femur in his right leg, police said. An anonymous source told police that Peterson was at the hospital.

The accident occurred at 2:18 a.m. Monday at Park Boulevard and 49th Street, police said.

Investigators believe that Peterson and his friends were celebrating the 21st birthday of Dario Gilley of St. Petersburg at the Bottom's Up. Gilley was a passenger in Peterson's car where invitations were found in the Chrysler 300, and Gilley's birthday was Sunday.

Gilley was treated for minor injuries at Bayfront Medical Center and released, said Capt. Sanfield Forseth of the Pinellas Park Police Department. When police interviewed Gilley, he would not identify Peterson or the other passenger in the Chrysler 300.

Peterson told police that he was leaving the Bottom's Up with a group of friends, including his mother, Demetra Peterson. He heard the shooting in the club's parking lot and drove off to get away.

Shortly before the wreck, police received a report of shots fired in the vicinity of the club, but when patrol officers arrived, they could not determine who fired them, Forseth said.

About the same time, an officer working on reports in his squad car saw the Chrysler 300 barreling down Park Boulevard at least 80 mph, Forseth said. The officer was at 64th Street, but by the time he drove to Park, the Chrysler 300 was at 58th Street and then crashed at 49th Street after running a red light, Forseth said. At no point was there a police pursuit, Forseth said.

The Chrysler first hit the 2001 blue Camry driven by Trotter, of 15777 Bolesta Road, Forseth said. The Chrysler then spun and hit a second car, a Camry driven by Earl Moffat, 73, of St. Petersburg, Forseth said. Moffat was not seriously injured.

While Gilley stayed behind, Peterson and another passenger fled, Forseth said. The driver appeared to be helping the passenger, who was limping, the spokesman said. They were tracked by a police dog to an area near 86th Avenue and 46th Street, but then the scent was lost, Forseth said.

Gilley was not seriously hurt; he was in the front passenger seat and an air bag was activated, Forseth said. The Chrysler was reportedly rented, and investigators are now trying to determine who rented it, Forseth said.

No weapons were found in the Chrysler, but police did find marijuana and crack cocaine, Forseth said.

Charges are pending at this time, police said. Investigators will meet with the state attorney's office to discuss who to charge and the possible charges.

Police still need to identify the third passenger in the Chrysler 300 that Peterson drove. Peterson told police he knew the person by the nickname Spring.

Anyone with information on this crash should contact police at (727) 541-0758.

Reporter José Patiño Girona contributed to this report. Reporter Stephen Thompson can be reached at (727) 451-2336.