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Testimony begins in trial of woman accused of killing Bradenton man known as “Peace Walker"

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Published  March 4, 2025 5:31pm EST
Bradenton
FOX 13 News

Woman charged in deadly hit-and-run stands trial

FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer shares that the victim's son was among the witnesses that took the stand today.

The Brief

    • Testimony began Tuesday in the trial of Teresa Zeppi. She is accused of being behind the wheel of a deadly 2020 hit-and-run that killed Joseph Dralus Sr., who was known in the community as the "Peace Walker."
    • The jury heard testimony from FHP troopers, a paramedic, and Dralus Sr.’s son.
    • Prosecutors argued that Zeppi knew she had crashed into a person and chose to keep going before being seen on camera stopping and looking at the damage to her car about 500 feet down the road.

BRADENTON, Fla. - Testimony began Tuesday in the trial of a woman charged in a hit-and-run crash that killed a Bradenton man known in the community as the "Peace Walker." 

Florida Highway Patrol said Teresa Zeppi was behind the wheel of a Lincoln Navigator in 2020 when she hit and killed Joseph Dralus, Sr., 82, and later stopped to wipe evidence from her front bumper. 

Footage of the 2020 hit-and-run that killed Joseph Dralus, Sr.

Footage of the 2020 hit-and-run that killed Joseph Dralus, Sr.

Witnesses who took the stand Tuesday included several FHP troopers, a paramedic, and Joseph Dralus, Jr., who drove around the community, looking for the vehicle that hit his father.

What they're saying:

"(I) walked around the house, sat in his room, (and) thought about what had happened. After being in the house for –  I can't remember – not long, I didn't want to be there that long. I decided to leave and go look for the vehicle," Dralus, Jr. said. "I thought, why not? Realizing I was in Northwest Bradenton, which is such a tight-knit community, a dead-end community, meaning there's one way into Northwest Bradenton for the most part and one way out. So yes, I decided to start driving around Northwest Bradenton." 

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Testimony from the victim's son followed opening statements, in which the state and attorneys for Zeppi laid out their arguments to jurors.

Zeppi in court on Tuesday.

Zeppi in court on Tuesday.

Prosecutors believe Zeppi knew she crashed into a person and chose to keep going. They said she stopped about 500 feet down the road, where investigators said she was recorded on home security video looking at damage to the front of her SUV before leaving. 

"He was struck with such force that his body was thrown into his neighbor's driveway," said Manatee County prosecutor Michael Alonfo, adding investigators found Dralus Sr.'s DNA on the front of her vehicle. "What is important about this case is what happened next. The driver, she did not stop, she did not call 911, and she did not check to see if the man she just hit, Mr. Dralus, was okay." 

Defense attorney Brett McIntosh appeared to be laying the groundwork to argue that Zeppi either didn't realize she hit Dralus, or maybe a different vehicle did.

PICTURED: Joseph Dralus, Sr.

PICTURED: Joseph Dralus, Sr.

McIntosh said Zeppi had been in another fender-bender earlier in the day and argued that could be why she pulled over to look at her bumper. 

What's next:

Testimony will continue Wednesday, and the trial is expected to last most of the week.

The Source: FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer collected the information in this story.

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