Prosecutors: DNA puts Taylor in hit-and-run vehicle

TAMPA (FOX 13) - Prosecutors say defendant Rico Taylor ran from the scene after causing a crash that killed young mom, Tyronda Sampson, and her friend in January of 2017.

Sampon's three-year-old son, strapped in a child's car seat, survived. But prosecutors say Taylor left behind something critical that puts him in the driver's seat of that that green Infinity--his DNA.

This morning FDLE analyst  Mary Pacheco testified a red substance, which appeared to be blood was found drivers side airbag of the Infinity
DNA results show it belongs to Taylor, "so I compared the complete DNA profile that I obtained from the stain from the drivers side airbag to the referense standard of mr Taylor and it was match at all areas, " said Pacheco.

But hoping to raise doubt,  the defense tried to undercut the scientific results by suggesting the testing done on the red substance doesn't prove anything, " its not a conclusive test  it a preliminary test its fairly specific but its not confirmatory, " said Pacheco.

Later  Tampa Police detective Michael White who has specialized training in traffic crash investigations says based on the crime scene the green Infinity prosecutors say driven by Rico Taylor was at fault in the crash.

But the defense was quick to challenge the detective's lack of training, experience, and education, " I'm almost at my bachelors degree at this time in Criminal Justice, " said Detective White.