No bond for man who hit, killed woman with stolen car

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (FOX 13) - Police in St. Petersburg arrested a driver who is suspected of hitting and killing a young mother with a stolen car, then fleeing the scene.

Investigators said it was just after midnight on July 15 when 26-year-old Phelexis Robinson's car broke down on Martin Luther King Jr. Street near 34th Street South. When she got out of the vehicle to see what was wrong, a stolen white Infiniti sedan hit and killed her, then drove off.

Police said 21-year-old Tavirus Walters was behind the wheel of the Infiniti, which was stolen from Hillsborough County, and was speeding at the time of the crash.

Walters was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder in connection with the fatal crash, among other charges. During his first appearance Saturday morning, the judge denied bond due to a violation of probabtion in a previous case.

According to investigators, Walters drove the car another three blocks before he abandoned the vehicle in the area of 37th Avenue South.

"They just left her there like a dog and that's so wrong on so many levels. She didn't deserve that, nobody deserves that," said Robinson's cousin, Tiffany Shaw. 

The victim's family said she leaves behind a small child. Now that Walters is in custody, they will try to move forward. 

"I feel relief, a lot of pressure off my chest," said Phelix Robinson, Phelixs' father. "I know it's not going to bring my baby back but it released some of the pressure on me."

"We're not gonna stop until we find out who does this kind of stuff," added Lt. Patrice Hubbard of St. Pete police. "The community involvement, helping us, the tips, people calling in, it's very appreciated. It's not something we take very lightly."