Sunrise man admits to looking at phone before hit-and-run injuring 2 cyclists, police say

SUNRISE, Fla. – Police say a 77-year-old Sunrise man advised detectives he used to be looking at his cellular phone whilst using in December, felt a bump, heard a “voice” and “noise”. Authorities allege he didn’t hassle to prevent.

Those sounds got here from two cyclists, a couple of brothers, driving south alongside Hiatus Road, between Oakland Park and Sunrise boulevards, police stated.

According to a Sunrise Police Department arrest document, the crash came about at round 7:25 a.m. on Dec. 23.

Police stated after the crash, as Lakhani saved on using in his black SUV, a Good Samaritan passing via spotted the cyclists within the roadway, stopped to lend a hand and known as 911.

The arrest document states that police have been ready to acquire key items of proof from the scene: items of a proper reflect with “TOYOTA” inscribed on it and a black fender flare with peeling paint. A Toyota dealership used to be ready to help police in figuring out the suspect automobile as a black 2002-2009 Toyota RAV4.

Officer Allen Stotler wrote within the document that on Jan. 3, he used to be canvassing a close-by group and noticed a RAV4 matching the automobile description parked at a house: It used to be lacking a fender flare and had a brand spanking new proper reflect. The lacking fender piece grew to become out to be an actual fit.

Lakhani got here out of his house and spoke with officials, admitting that he used to be at the back of the wheel that day and used to be using to feed birds in Plantation, pronouncing that “while driving he looked at his phone, felt a bump and heard a ‘voice/noise,’” Stotler wrote.

Stotler wrote that Lakhani advised him he used to be “unable to account for the damage to his vehicle and at his request, his son-in-law replaced the mirror” on Dec. 30, every week after the crash.

Lakhani used to be taken into custody on fees of leaving the scene of an crash inflicting severe physically damage and leaving the scene of an crash inflicting non-serious damage. Both fees are felonies.

According to court docket data, he used to be additionally cited for careless using and failing to deal with a unmarried lane.

He used to be set to be launched from the Broward Main Jail on a $9,500 bond as of Friday morning.

Court data display he’s scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday.