On Sunday night, at 7:46 PM, the victim was riding a blue Huffy bicycle eastbound across 50th St at East 23rd Ave. A 4-door black sedan was driving northbound on N. 50th St in the outside lane. The car struck the bicyclist, and the driver fled the area without stopping to render aid. The victim, a 61-year-old black male, died at the scene.
Tampa Police immediately began working to identify and locate the suspect vehicle and driver. The car was found at the River View Apartments (N. 56th St and E. Sligh Ave), and impounded. The driver, later identified as 27-year-old Joel F Weaver, black male (3/24/1995), responded to Tampa Police District 3 station where he provided a post-Miranda statement admitting to being the driver of the vehicle, and knowingly leaving the scene after striking the bicyclist.
Weaver was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of the crash with death. He was transported to Orient Road Jail.