Published on Wednesday, January 24, 2007
in the WSVN TV News

Hit-and-run driver surrenders to police, a year after trooper accident

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Authorities say the man who fled the scene of an accident after crashing into a police cruiser on the side of the road has surrendered to police.

Police officially charged 23-year-old Robert Dimmie Jr. with DUI and hit-and-run Wednesday. Dimmie does not deny that he crashed his pickup truck into state trooper Darryl Haywood, 20, as he sat in his police cruiser on the Florida Turnpike at Sunrise Boulevard in the early morning of Jan. 22, 2006. Dimmie neglected to observe the Move-over Law when he nearly killed Haywood while the trooper made a routine traffic stop.

An arrest warrant was issued for Dimmie, and, authorities say, he was supposed to turn himself in two weeks ago. "In responding to various addresses that we've obtained on his possible whereabouts, he was not there. Upon speaking to him we have not been able to get him to turn himself in or contact us," said Lt. Roger Reyes of the Florida Highway Patrol.

However, Dimmie's lawyer says his client was not aware that police were looking for him. "He did not know he was being sought until a few days ago, and that's why he came to speak to me, and I spoke to the trooper that was investigating the case," said attorney Michael Milchman.

Fourteen months before Haywood's accident, his father, trooper Darryl Haywood Sr. was killed in a high speed chase in Orlando. Haywood, who is still off the job because of his accident, says his father would be happy with the way this case turned out. "My dad would definitely be happy about the whole situation, especially the fact that [Dimmie] turned himself in," he said.

Milchman also said Dimmie did not mean to hurt anyone. He is remorseful and also apologized to Haywood. "Knowing that I came that close to hurting somebody," Dimmie said. "I'm sorry I have caused you this, it was an accident. You know, it was a terrible accident at that."

Dimmie is being held at the Broward County jail on several DUI charges. He has four previous DUI arrests, two that injured two people and two that caused property damage. Dimmie's lawyer said his client was not drunk the night he crashed into Haywood's cruiser; he said he simply fell asleep at the wheel.