Police: Witness stopped suspected impaired driver from leaving crash scene

AUBURNDALE (FOX 13) - People who were first on the scene are still trying to wrap their minds around the stark horror of it: police say a woman driving an SUV ran over a little girl - and tried to leave the scene.

Five year-old Jasira Santos was riding her bike on Adams Street when she was run over by a suspected impaired driver.  Police say after the crash, the driver, Regina Shelton, tried to get away, but Efrain Crespo stopped her. The passenger side door was open, so he jumped in.

"I just went inside, grabbed the key and put it in my pocket until the cops got there," he told FOX 13 on Thursday, the day after the tragedy.

Before police arrived, Crespo saw something that astounded him.

"She just opened the door, popped a beer, and went like this [he gestured as if he was drinking] and drank it," Crespo said.

When Patrick Flewellen arrived right after that, he says Shelton was motionless.

"She appeared to be passed out, slumped over with her head down, and not really paying attention to, not really aware anybody was around her," he said.

Shelton has been arrested a dozen times, but never for DUI. Police are waiting for the results of bloodwork before they make a determination in this case.

At last check, Santos was in very critical condition.