Police: Hit-and-run suspect admitted to fleeing scene of crash

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - The woman accused of hitting and killing a tow truck driver and then fleeing the scene is behind bars. On Tuesday, a judge set 36-year-old Allison Huffman's bond at $750,000.

Huffman admitted she hit Roger Perez-Burroto on the Howard Frankland Bridge around 2:20 Monday morning.  She told officers she didn't stop because she was "scared". 

Florida Highway Patrol says she then exited I-275 at the State Road 60 exit, and ditched her badly damaged car in a hotel parking lot. Officers say she then called a taxi and went to the Hard Rock Casino.

One tip also suggested she stopped at the nearby Florida State Fair.

FHP says Huffman later traveled to a friend's apartment in St. Petersburg. Before she arrived, the friend contacted FHP to turn her in. Once she arrived, he also called St. Petersburg police to alert them of her arrival.

"Hi. I have someone at my place. I think she hit someone last night. I just want you to come pick her up," he's heard saying on the recorded non-emergency call.

Police arrested Huffman at the apartment shortly after the call.

Court records show Huffman has three previous DUI charges in Hillsborough County, along with a number of additional traffic citations.

At the time of the accident, Huffman was driving with a valid license.

Perez-Burroto's sister says Huffman had no business being behind the wheel. Her family believes the system failed them.

"The saying goes: Once, shame on you. Twice, shame on me. It's unfortunate that it came to taking a life that they say, 'OK, maybe we need to put a stop to this,'" Zarais Perez-Burroto said Tuesday.

Her brother leaves behind a wife and 4-year old daughter.

Huffman was being held at the Pinellas County Jail. She was expected to be extradited to Tampa's Orient Road Jail soon.