Man Found Guilty of Leaving the Scene of an Accident After Hitting Child

State Attorney Melissa Nelson today announces that Demetrius Hartley, of Jacksonville, was found guilty by a jury of Leaving the Scene of a Crash Involving Serious Bodily Injury, and Possession of Less than 20 grams of Cannabis. Hartley now faces up to 15 years in Florida State Prison. The Honorable Gilbert Feltel will set a sentencing hearing the week of June 14, 2021.

On Sept. 15, 2020, a mother and her son were crossing the street in the 5100 block of Hollycrest Drive on Jacksonville’s Westside. As the child was crossing the street, Hartley hit him with the vehicle he was driving. Hartley stopped the vehicle, exited, looked back at the child, then returned to the vehicle and drove away. Witnesses at the scene provided the vehicle’s tag information and Hartley’s physical description. An officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office saw the vehicle driving to a residence and detained Hartley.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Brooke Gasson and Hobbs Crockett.