FHP searching for person of interest in deadly St. Pete hit-and-run

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Florida troopers are still searching for the driver who hit and killed a St. Petersburg man who was on an electric scooter. They have since released a surveillance image showing a person of interest.

Earlier this week, the Florida Highway Patrol released surveillance video of a white pickup truck believed to be involved in a deadly hit-and-run crash. Friday, they released a surveillance image from a nearby gas station of a person of interest before the deadly crash occurred.

Provided by Florida Highway Patrol

Around 3:30 a.m. Sunday, 23-year-old Kristopher Simington was riding his electric scooter when he somehow fell while trying to cross the median of 66th Street North near 51st Avenue North, investigators said. He landed in the roadway and was hit. The driver never stopped. 

"The fact that somebody just left him in the road to die, really messes with me," said Kearra Nucup, his girlfriend. "He was so smart, so talented and didn't even know it; he was going to do a lot of really great things. He had so many plans."

Kearra says the couple recently moved in together in Kenneth City, and Saturday night Kris wanted to go out for a bit.

"Unfortunately, I didn't go with him because I was tired," she said.

Kearra says Kris took his new electric scooter and was only about a mile from their apartment. But the California native never made it home that night.

GoFundMe accounts have been set up to help with funeral expenses and to help Kearra.

Anyone with information on the hit-and-run is asked to call FHP at 813-558-1800.