Pasco man offered resident cash after crashing into home, troopers say

HOLIDAY, Fla. (FOX 13) - A Pasco County man was arrested after crashing his vehicle into a home early Monday morning.

Florida Highway Patrol said it happened at 4:15 a.m. at a home on Bartelt Road in Holiday.

Phil Ferranto, the man living at the home said he was asleep in a back backroom when he says it sounded like an explosion went off. 

When Ferranto came out to see what happened, the driver tried to offer him cash to keep quiet what happened.

“The guy had gotten out of his car and he's offering money. He offered me $5,000 then $7,000,” Ferranto said, adding that he declined the offer. “I didn’t like the sound of his voice so I grabbed a gun and I came out here from the garage and he's up in my face saying, ‘I can take care of this right now’”

Deputies say the driver, 28-year-old Derrick Zio, ran off but was later captured.

FHP said Zio was drunk and speeding when he hit a utility pole and then crashed into the house.

 “We don’t drink and drive, we don’t leave the scene of a crash, we don’t speed through neighborhoods. Fortunately, he was wearing his seat belt. I think that was the only thing he was doing right this morning,” said FHP Sgt. Steve Gaskins.

FHP says Zio was in possession of a large amount of marijuana and cash.