Couple recovering after being struck in Gulfport hit-and-run crash while on e-scooter: 'Left us for dead'

Couple seriously hurt in hit-and-run crash

Pinellas County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a driver accused of hitting a couple on an electric scooter and leaving the scene. The hit-and-run happened a week ago, leaving the married couple seriously injured, and their lives forever changed. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.

GULFPORT, Fla. - A routine ride on an electric scooter ended in a nightmare for a married Bay Area couple struck during a hit-and-run crash on Black Friday. 

The backstory:

Kristen, 42, and Michael Lynch, 61, were found lying in the road near the intersection of Gulfport Boulevard and Luana Lane last Friday evening, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

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"A vehicle struck us from behind, and he kept going," Kristen Lynch said from her hospital bed at Orlando Health Bayfront in St. Pete. "Pretty much left us for dead."

Deputies said that the couple was heading east in the curb lane when they were hit from behind.

"We saw debris everywhere," said JMichael Smith, who lives near the crash site and witnessed the aftermath. "The woman was in front of the ambulance, the guy was behind it and wasn’t moving."

Courtesy; Kristen Lynch. 

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Dig deeper:

The couple was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. Kristen — a mother of five — remains in stable condition after undergoing several surgeries.

"I went into, I sustained a brain bleed," she said. "My tooth was chipped in half, I have a fractured pelvis and my right ankle is snapped."

Meanwhile, Michael is still fighting for his life inside the ICU.

"My husband sustained three brain bleeds and multiple fractures of his pelvis," Lynch said. "His heart stopped for six minutes and was too critical for surgery."

Big picture view:

Deputies with PCSO's Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) identified Eugene Sviderskas, as the driver of the suspected vehicle. Investigators said he admitted to driving a red 1997 Ford Econoline van and heard a thud but did not stop.

Pictured: Michael Lynch. Courtesy: Kristen Lynch. 

The 71-year-old has been charged with leaving the scene of a crash and tampering with phyisical evidence. 

Smith added that his neighborhood can be quite dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.

"You just have to pay attention," he said. "There’s a lot of elderly around here, there’s a lot of walkers around here and the street is not as well-lit as it probably should be."

What they're saying:

Back at Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital, Kristen Lynch learned that an online fundraiser has raised over $3,000 for her family.

"To know that people are willing to help at this time of year," she concluded. "I’ve got little kids, and it’s been a struggle, so I am very humbled."