Officials in Florida say a 68-year-old man hit two city workers who were cleaning up from Hurricane Milton after he illegally drove past construction barriers on a closed-off roadway.
Florida Highway Patrol released video where a white SUV can be seen driving over a curb and onto a grassy berm that separates a road and a sidewalk in order to avoid large orange construction barriers that were blocking off an area North of Tampa road around Lake St. George Drive in Pinellas County.
Troopers said the driver, Charles Edward Kunath of Palm Harbor, continued onto the road and swiftly approached workers who were repairing and cleaning up a flooded roadway that had "been partially washed out."
According to law enforcement, Kunath drove around the barriers "which clearly indicated the roadway was closed" and workers began flagging him down at one point.
Troopers claim Kunath accelerated his vehicle and hit two workers — a moment that didn't appear to be in video released by officials which showed the SUV initially passing the construction barriers.
The two workers who were hit are two 49-year-old men from Florida who both suffered "serious life-threatening injuries" and were taken to local hospitals, authorities said.
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Troopers say Kunath then fled the scene, later to be located in his home where he was arrested.
Kunath will be charged with attempted vehicular homicide and aggravated battery involving a deadly weapon, according to a statement obtained by Scripps News. He is also expected to be charged with leaving the scene of a crash with injury, reckless driving involving a serious injury and multiple other traffic violations.
Kunath is currently in a Pinellas County jail.
