A New Tampa father is dead and a man police say had only minor traffic infractions is being charged with the murder.
Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan said in a news conference early Monday that 42-year-old Pedro Aguerreberry and his young sons were riding bikes on the sidewalk near New Tampa Boulevard and Wood Sage Drive just before noon Sunday.
That's when a witness driving behind 30-year-old Mikese Morse of Tampa saw Morse's maroon Dodge Avenger speed up and strike the family. Police said Morse fled from the scene.
Someone called authorities later Sunday to report they had seen the car. Morse was arrested and charged with several crimes, including first-degree murder and two charges of attempted first-degree murder.
Dugan said he doesn't believe Morse and Aguerreberry knew each other. The arrest report said Morse admitted to the attack.
"This is definitely random and it was purposefully done, we don't know why," Dugan said.
Pedro Aguerreberry died of his injuries at a local hospital. Bennett Aguerreberry, 3, went to the hospital with serious injuries. Lucas Aguerreberry, 8, suffered minor injuries.
Bennett remains in fair condition at Tampa General Hospital, officials said Monday.
Tampa Police said Sunday's hit-and-run arrest was not their first encounter with Morse. Dugan said Morse wandered into a Tampa Police district office earlier this month and was involuntarily committed under Florida's Baker Act for what Dugan called "odd behavior."
He also mentioned Morse's presence on social media. But Dugan wouldn't elaborate because the investigation is ongoing.
Dugan said his focus right now is on the family of Pedro Aguerreberry, which has been torn apart.
"You can feel for the mother and how she's going to have to pick up the pieces for this family,” he said. “And you have a 3-year-old boy and an 8-year-old boy who essentially watched their father die."
