A man driving a four-door Chevrolet with two occupants on U.S. 1, just before 7 p.m. Thursday, lost control and sent the car flipping in a grassy field, barely avoiding two trees that could have damaged the vehicle and its occupants far more severely.
Soon after the car came to a rest in the waterlogged grass, however, the driver, Rocky Marino, 19, of 3602 West San Pedro Street in Tampa, fled the scene on foot. A Flagler County Sheriff’s spokeswoman and a Florida Highway Patrol investigator later said Marino had several warrants out on him. Neither official had details on the nature of the warrants.
Marino didn’t get far, nor was there a long chase. Within about 15 minutes of the original wreck, less than half a mile south of the wreck scene, Marino was in handcuffs and on a gurney, being transported to Florida Hospital Flagler before being taken to the Flagler County jail, where he was booked just before 11 p.m.
The wreck took place along the southbound lanes about a mile and a half north of the U.S. 1 weigh station. According to preliminary observations by an FHP investigator, based on tire marks on the outside lane, the car appeared to have begun to swerve on the highway and may have over-corrected, sending it flipping off the road. It had been raining shortly before the wreck.
The two other occupants of the car–a woman and a teen-age girl, though that’s not confirmed–were taken to Florida Hospital Flagler with non-life-threatening injuries. They were both walking at the scene.
U.S. 1 South was reduced to one lane for less than an hour as the scene was investigated and Roger’s Towing towed the vehicle.
During the investigation, a man alone in a vehicle was observed driving through the emergency scene with his hands on top of the steering wheel, his hands fiddling with a smart-phone (sic.), his eyes glued on it, rather than on the road. He was seemingly oblivious to the scene around him. The emergency scene was lined with six Palm Coast Fire Police officers, two Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies, and the Florida Highway Patrol investigator, all of them near the emergency cones set out. EMTs had just left the scene. Further down, the Roger’s Towing wrecker was getting ready to back his truck toward the wrecked vehicle.
First responders, cops and other emergency services personnel are often injured or killed at roadside by inattentive drivers.
Jim Neuenfeldt says
So did the guy on the “Distracting Phone” get a ticket?
blondee says
Since texting & driving is not yet illegal in FL, I’d have to say no….
patti bissonnette says
Still there should be a charge of not following the rules at the scene of an emergency, or negligent operation…some kink of charge. How about the one about reducing your speed to half the speed limit when emergency vehicles are present!
Maria G. Miguel Grullon says
What else is new around here, just another day in paradise, lol
Deep South says
So this guy fled the scene of the accident with no care whats so ever for the occupants of the car that he was driving. How cold and irresponsible can a person get.
Pauline Alfano says
Read the article re Rocky Marino (he stole my car about 4 years ago) Followed his trial – never had the opportunity to confront him (nor receive any restitution for damages). The case was ajudicated; he was sent to a juvenile facility (he was 15 at the time) and released 4 months later. This kid was bad news (he terrorized our neighborhood) but apparently was able to move to the Tampa area (but was back since the accident happened on US1).
Signed, Victim
Rocky marino says
No I am not bad news..I made sure the other occupants of the vehicle were out of the car,I actually helped them out of the car,then I call 911 to make sure they get help and get treated. I ran because I had warrants for vop.i never got out 4months later,I did 2 1/2 years on prison for a crime that I didn’t commit.so I would appreciate it of you people would stop slondering my name around like I’m some bad person.im really not!!