Day-care hit-and-run suspect in Florida temporarily denied bond
A man who has been charged with leaving the scene of a deadly hit-and-run crash into a Florida day-care center will be held in jail until at least Monday, when a judge is expected to decide whether he is a flight risk.
Law enforcement agencies had launched an extensive manhunt for Robert Alex Corchado, 28, after Wednesday’s crash. He turned himself in late Thursday and was being held in Orange County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bond, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
But at a court hearing Friday morning, Circuit Judge Jerry Brewer temporarily revoked the bond at the request of a prosecutor who said Corchado might try to leave the U.S. A hearing on whether Corchado shoud be held without bail until trial is scheduled for Monday.
Corchado is accused of slamming his Dodge Durango into the back of another man’s car on Wednesday. The other vehicle, a Toyota Solara convertible, then plowed into the KinderCare in Winter Park, Fla., as Corchado allegedly sped away in his vehicle, which he abandoned for a rented Mazda SUV, officials said.
Fifteen people were hurt in the crash and 4-year-old Lily Quintus died at a hospital. The Groveland Fire Department, where Lily’s father is a paramedic, started raising funds for the family on Thursday. Nicole Quintus told reporters that her daughter was “a princess and superhero at the same time” -- she would walk around in a tutu wielding a sword.
One of the injured remained in critical condition on Friday at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, spokesman Geo Morales told the Los Angeles Times. Three patients were in fair condition at the hospital, which has declined to provide the victims’ ages.
Corchado, who was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal car accident, has a history of drug convictions and hit-and-runs, according to criminal records obtained by the Sentinel. A few months after leaving prison in September 2012 for a drug conviction, he crashed into a car in Seminole County and kept driving before he was caught a few houses away with marijuana and other drugs in and around his vehicle, officials said.
Just last week, Corchado was cited for careless driving after rear-ending a Buick at a red light in Orange County, according to the Sentinel.
Authorities haven’t ruled out charges against the driver of the car Corchada is accused of hitting. Albert Dean Campbell, 61, may have panicked or was unable to stop before traveling some distance and plowing into the day-care center.
Matt Pearce contributed to this report.
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