Press "Enter" to skip to content

Anthony Man Arrested in Ocala Hit-and-Run Death

An Anthony man who told authorities he thought he had struck a deer has turned himself into Ocala police in connection with a hit-and-run accident that killed a local man last week.  According to a Florida Highway Patrol report, 41- year old Daniel W. Vavra walked into the Ocala Police Station on Sunday afternoon and told officers  that he was the driver of the vehicle that struck and killed 45- year-old Kevin Scott James.  James was  found dead in a roadside ditch August 20th by a postal worker delivering mail along North 441 near The Vinyard Church.

Based on car parts left at the scene, authorities released a statement last week asking the public for help in locating  at 2007 or 2008 Infiniti G35 or G37. The vehicle sustained damage to the  right front side, hood, and windshield. Vavra told police he was driving a 2009 Infiniti G37 and had struck Jones that night.  FHP reports say Vavra was arrested after being interviewed by officers, whom he told he “had thought he struck a deer”.  As a result of the interview and the physical evidence, Vavra was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving a death and booked into Marion County Jail.

State troopers said they believe James was killed late in the evening on August 19th when he was struck while walking  in the emergency lane of North 441. His body was thrown about 150 feet down an embankment that was not easily visible from the road. On August 20th troopers said they were at the scene of another accident on Southbound 441 in the same area, when a postal worker approached them and said she had located Jones’ body in the ditch.

Comments are closed.