Tampabay: Driver runs over accident victim

GULFPORT - A Stetson University law student was arrested after she drove over a man lying in the street Tuesday night and then headed home instead of calling for help, police said.

Erin Rowland, 23, faces one felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving serious bodily harm, Gulfport police said. Her Facebook.com page lists her as a member of the University of Florida's Class of 2006 and a member of Stetson University College of Law Class of 2009.

The accident began around 9:45 p.m. near the 6100 block of Gulfport Boulevard when a 2007 Hyundai Elantra driven by 50-year-old David Colerick struck a curb at as much as 90 mph, flipped several times, hit a power pole and landed in palm tree, police said.

Colerick was thrown into the street. Gulfport traffic homicide investigator Michael Vandenberg, said it appeared that Colerick, who had an odor of alcohol, may have been dead when he landed on the street. Colerick's wife, Cathy, 52, was in stable condition at Bayfront Medical Center on Wednesday afternoon.

As Colerick lay on the street, Rowland drove over him in a 2001 Lexus sport utility vehicle, police said. Vandenberg said she may have been trying to avoid power lines when she ran over Colerick's body.

A witness told Rowland to stop because she had run over someone, Vandenberg said. But Rowland drove to her home at the Golfview Condominiums, just across the street from Stetson and a couple of hundred yards from the accident. After 45 minutes, police spoke to her and eventually arrested her.

"If she had stopped and called police, she would most likely not face any charges, " Vandenberg said.

Times researcher Carolyn Edds contributed to this report. Abhi Raghunathan can be reached at araghunathan@sptimes.com or 727 893-8472.

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Comments on this article

by Jamie	05/16/07 03:27 PM
After seeing both accidents, the witness tried to stop Rowland and yelled to her that she just hit a man. Rowland drove off because she was also drunk and knew 100% that she hit a man, but did not stop to help for fear of DUI. Hit/run definitely.

by Allan	05/15/07 08:51 PM
Are witnesses SURE they saw her run over him? Light pole WAS in street near victim and WAS dark. Also, notice anything interesting about extraction photos?

by Fred	05/14/07 11:55 PM
Get the Facts First then judge

by joey	05/12/07 12:14 PM
I am with "just the facts." Getting out of the way of electrical wires, leaving room for emergency vehicles is prudent. Again, intention is key. Accidents happen. If the person was in the middle of the road she might not have been able to avoid him

by Angela	05/11/07 05:55 PM
Lawyer-wannabe buddies? Good that she has these friends for support! She will need it. I was on 22nd Ave that night and saw the car ON TOP OF the tree. The scene would have been shocking for anyone to see. Let alone right afterward. 200 yds - not far

by Josh	05/11/07 04:01 PM
The witness was with her and she hit the body. That is what will come out in court.

by BOB	05/11/07 12:13 PM
So another future lawyer thought the law meant nothing to her. What else is new?

by Ann	05/11/07 07:32 AM
What witness told her to stop? Someone standing on the side of the road? Were her windows rolled up? If there was debris in the road from the pole, why would she suspect that she had run over a body? Doesn't sound like much of a case against her.

by Lou	05/11/07 06:17 AM
Later reports say that she did not run over the body at all, just drove through the blood on the street as she moved to a safe spot away from live electric lines. Does that change anyone's self righteous opinion?

by mack	05/11/07 06:10 AM
Shame on Abhi Raghunathan for trying to sensationalize a story for his own glory rather than getting all the facts. If this was his loved one that became a part of an accident scene when an electric pole fell on her car would his story be the same?

by Chaz	05/11/07 02:44 AM
Speculation is ignoranceò019s forte!

by Citizen	05/10/07 10:44 PM
Wow. From all of the comments about this article it sounds like all of her lawyer-wannabe buddies are all over this one!

by Sharon	05/10/07 10:28 PM
IF HE HAD BEEN DRINKING THEN WHY DIDN'T HIS WIFE GET BEHIND THE WHEEL? UNLESS SHE HAD BEEN DRINKING TOO....THE MAN DID IT TO HIMSELF....PLUS SHE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER BEING A LAW STUDENT HERSELF

by Mike	05/10/07 09:53 PM
We sure seem quick to judge. Knowing how you would react in a traumatic situation is impossible. Rather than judge, why not show concern for the deceased, his widow, the student, and the first responders.

by joey	05/10/07 09:17 PM
leaving the scene is an intentional crime, one has to know there was an accident and that there were injuries. She did not cause the original accident and she likely didn't realize what happened. It is wholly unfortunate.

by just the facts	05/10/07 09:07 PM
I'm scratching my head on how parking a mere 200 yards away is leaving the scene of an accident? This person stopped in a safe area, out of the way for emergency vehicles and was readily availible for investigators. 200 yards is not a long distance

by Remove Drunk drivers	05/10/07 07:24 PM
wow finally a drunk driver that killed himself!! the driver yes she made bad judgement in her actions, she should not be charged in a death if he was already dead before he hit the street...JUST bad judgement for her and dang going to law school

by Freddy	05/10/07 07:01 PM
The real question is why did she leave the scene? ...perhaps she had been drinking herself and worried about a DUI and figured they would throw the book at her for it.

by Mike	05/10/07 07:00 PM
There is no question that the deceased had fault...but that is not the issue. If she knowingly ran over that body and left, she should be found guilty. She should have at least parked her vehicle at her apt. and IMMEDIATELY called 911.

by Elizabeth	05/10/07 06:50 PM
Please explain to me how she knew he was dead when she didn't even get out of the car.

by J	05/10/07 05:29 PM
Wow-- this is not the place for you to be on your bitter poor me rant about not being one of the "rich kids"...it was a tragic accident, it sucks what happened for everyone, but geeze, get off it. No one cares about your hypocritical tyrades

by paul	05/10/07 05:25 PM
since when is a corpse a person? a corpse is an inanimate object. you can't be charged with animal cruelty for running over roadkill, so why should she be charged with leaving the scene of the accident? she wasn't involved in the accident.

by Marc	05/10/07 05:06 PM
Personal injury lawyers (PIL) are HERO'S in my eyes. Had to sue Allstate to get a fair settlement. We could have lost and got nothing. If companies don't want to be sued, do the right thing. A PIL can have a free meal at my house anytime.

by Marc	05/10/07 04:56 PM
Why are we so surprised, the Rich in this country feel they are above the law. What is surprising is that the police arrested her, but not to worry she would do any time. And of course the cops are blaming the victim claiming alcohol, the fix is in.

by Louis	05/10/07 04:50 PM
Why should a young smart girl suffer because some jacka** was so drunk he killed himself? Thank God he didn't kill anyone else! Going 90 while drunk!?!?! Idiot!

by j	05/10/07 04:27 PM
First of all, this is a tragedy and y'all should stop acting as if there isn't a dead man and a traumatized young girl because of this. Seriously, the ONLY thing she did wrong is not call the police - she didn't kill this man, he killed himself - sad

by Elizabeth	05/10/07 04:01 PM
How would she know if he was dead or not at the time she ran over him? In fact we don't know exactly when he died.

by Jess	05/10/07 03:51 PM
It's not the same as the Jennifer Porter case at all. She most likely ran over the body of a person who died by his own hand. She should have stopped, yes, but should she be brought up on felony charges for it? No. The guy was dead already.

by Elizabeth	05/10/07 02:41 PM
Yes the victim was speeding outrageously, but judging by what I see on the roads here that is ok with everyone. As a working person it ticks me off that some rich kid with all advantages in life may escape felony charges.

by ang	05/10/07 02:22 PM
there are always 2 sides to a story...don't be so quick to judge her...those out there shouldn't judge lawyers either, you may need one one day

by Reeves	05/10/07 01:58 PM
Some SUVs are high profile with thick wheels. You can't feel everything you run over. Of if you do feel a bump, you're not anticipating a body. Not to mention American Idol results were on. I wouldn't have stopped either.

by Brian	05/10/07 01:53 PM
I absoultely love this jury pool. A group of individuals who rely only on the media for the evidence. Luckily, lawyers know about the Constitutional guarantees of due process. The same laws WILL apply to her, as they do you. The system will work!

by LS	05/10/07 01:27 PM
I think from all of this, the lesson leanred is that life can change in a matter of moments. For this girl, she's realizing that this one decision will affect the rest of her life. I hope she realizes her mistake and grows from it.

by mike	05/10/07 01:25 PM
John's comments are simply ignorant! Id say that at least 85% of all lawyers are not shady, but i guess that you have always done your own work prose and thus your comment!

by jack s	05/10/07 01:20 PM
There are many mitigating factors with this incident. Ms. Rowland is guilty of bad judgment by not stopping and in doing so broke the law, but the degree of criminal culpability can only be determined by further investigation.Let the courts decide