Judge holds man accused of deadly hit-and-run in Gulfport in jail on no bond

First court appearance after deadly hit-and-run crash

FOX 13's Kailey Tracy has the latest after a 38-year-old mother was hit and killed by a drunk driver while riding an E-bike in Gulfport this weekend.

GULFPORT, Fla. - Family and friends of a 38-year-old mother are grieving her death, as the man deputies say hit her with his car is being held in jail under no bond.

Pinellas County deputies say Rigby was driving a 2021 Nissan Altima on 49th Street South in Gulfport approaching 10th Avenue South at a high rate of speed Saturday around 10:08 p.m. 38-year-old Kjersten Strang was riding her E-bike in the curb lane at the same time, traveling south on 49th Street.

Investigators say Rigby hit Strang, and she was thrown from the bike and landed on Rigby’s windshield. Deputies say Rigby continued driving for about eight blocks before Strang fell off the car. 

They say he left the scene without calling 911 or waiting for first responders.

St. Petersburg Police officers found Rigby a short time later down the street outside a liquor store that was closed. He showed signs of impairment, the Sheriff’s Office says, and refused to cooperate with field sobriety tests.

PREVIOUS: Gulfport police arrest man after deadly hit-and-run

He's charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death, vehicular homicide leaving the scene and DUI manslaughter.

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Monday, Judge Elizabeth H. Zuroweste held him on no bond and brought up his criminal record at his first appearance.

"Here you are with a prior leading the scene [of a crash with property damage] from 2022," she said. "Then, in 2024, the state was generous enough to reduce your DUI to a reckless [driving charge]. For purposes of bond, it's a DUI."

His criminal record also includes several traffic infractions, like speeding more than 30 miles per hour. In the previous DUI charge, Rigby completed DUI school and a Mothers Against Drunk Driving online victim impact panel as part of that case. Court records show he was driving on wrong side of divided highway. In that same case, he had an open container in a motor vehicle charge.

"Here we are now. We've now gone to a second DUI, but this time with extremely aggravating facts, where you've killed somebody, left the scene and dragged their body, and I don't even need to go any further for how aggravating these set of facts are," Judge Zuroweste said. "So, that being said, your bond is $750,000 on the DUI manslaughter. I'm finding that you're a danger to the community and that nothing else can secure your decision-making and putting your life and everyone else's life on the road, so you're going to remain at no bond in the vehicular homicide and the leaving the scene of a crash involving death," she said.

Strang’s family and friends describe the mother of a young boy as an angel who was loved by so many in the community. They say she was one of the most loving and caring people they knew.

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