Staff report

Steven Arthur Collins, aged 72, has been given a 180-day jail term and five years of probation. He pleaded nolo contendere to charges of driving under the influence with serious bodily injury and leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury.

The incident occurred on July 29, 2023, when a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper responded to a hit-and-run. Two pedestrians were hit on SE CR 234 near SE 73rd Drive. The pedestrians sought help from a passing car, whose driver then followed the white SUV responsible for the accident. The driver of the pursuing car managed to locate the SUV approximately 500 yards away and recorded a video of the driver, later identified as Collins, exiting the SUV to speak with her. She advised Collins to return to the crash site, which he initially did, but then proceeded to drive away without aiding the victims or seeking emergency assistance. The driver of the pursuing car continued to tail him until Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies intercepted him on the Archer Road exit ramp of I-75.

According to the trooper at the scene, Collins exhibited signs of intoxication, including the scent of alcohol on his breath, bloodshot eyes, and slurred speech. Collins allegedly appeared nearly incoherent. He informed the trooper that he had been at “The Depot,” a sports bar in Micanopy, and was on his way home to SE CR 234. The trooper noted visible damage on Collins’ SUV, such as a missing rearview mirror on the passenger side and a dent on the front passenger-side bumper.

One of the pedestrians suffered a broken pelvis, abdominal tear with bleeding, abrasions, and contusions; the other suffered abrasions and contusions.

On April 23, Collins entered a plea of nolo contendere to driving under the influence with serious bodily injury and leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily injury; no formal charge of leaving the scene of a crash with bodily injury was filed, and the charge of DUI with bodily injury was dropped as part of the plea deal.

According to the plea document, the maximum sentence for the charges is 21 years. Judge David Kreider accepted the plea, which stipulated that Collins will serve 180 days in the County jail, with credit for 3 days served, followed by 60 months of probation; pay $8.247.20 restitution to one of the victims; obtain a substance abuse evaluation and follow any recommended treatment; have no contact with the victims; possess or use no alcohol or illegal drugs; submit to random screens for alcohol or drugs; attend DUI school; pay $2,779 in fines and courts costs; have his driver’s license suspended for six months; complete 50 hours of community service, including a Victim Impact Panel; have his vehicle impounded for 10 days; and put an ignition interlock device on his vehicle for six months.