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Left inset: Dawn Dunkle (Clearwater Police Department). Right inset: Elbert Gilbert (GoFundMe). Background: Surveillance footage showing what cops say is Dawn Dunkle driving her red Ford Mustang on a street near the area where she allegedly hit and killed Elbert Gilbert (CPD/Facebook).
An unsettling incident has emerged from Clearwater, Florida, where a woman driving a Ford Mustang struck a homeless 60-year-old father, Elbert Gilbert, while he crossed a street in a marked crosswalk. In a bizarre twist, the driver, identified as 51-year-old Dawn Dunkle, reportedly claimed afterward that she believed she had collided with a box or a speed bump, according to local police accounts.
The unfortunate event unfolded on February 4th along the 1400 block of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard. Dunkle was traveling westbound when the tragic accident occurred, as detailed in a press release from the Clearwater Police Department. Following the incident, Dunkle allegedly did not stop to provide assistance or even contact emergency services. Instead, she fled the scene, abandoning her 2024 red Mustang in the vicinity.
Authorities managed to locate the vehicle a few days later, ultimately tracing it back to Dunkle. The evidence collected from the scene, including parts of her car, led to her arrest and subsequent charges filed on Friday. The police department’s statement highlighted that Dunkle avoided taking any immediate responsibility, telling others she merely thought she had hit an inanimate object.
The impact of Gilbert’s death has been profound on the community. His son launched a GoFundMe campaign, painting a picture of Gilbert as a father with a “kind, gentle heart” cherished by everyone he encountered. In a heartfelt tribute, the local nonprofit organization Hydrate the Homeless expressed their sorrow, stating, “We are all just devastated by this loss. He held a special place in all our hearts.”
A GoFundMe launched by Gilbert”s son describes him as a father with a “kind, gentle heart” who was “loved by everyone he met.” The local nonprofit organization Hydrate the Homeless made a post about Gilbert’s death saying, “We are all just devastated for this loss. He held a special place in all our hearts.”
Founder Carla Morgan told local CBS affiliate WTSP, “We’re going to miss him a lot. He always had a smile, sometimes a fun joke. I always looked forward to seeing him.”
Describing what Dunkle allegedly did, Morgan said, “I think it would make all of us feel better that the person who did this is punished. They’re going to have to live with this for the rest of their life. They’re not going to be able to run away from it.”
Dunkle was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving death and possession of a controlled substance after she was allegedly caught with alprazolam, commonly known by the brand name Xanax, court records show. She was being held on a $150,000 bond.