The family of a Pasco man is pleading for the public’s help to find the driver who hit him and kept going.

  • Elijah Daggy, 37, victim of hit-and-run
  • Incident occurred at intersection of U.S. Alt. 19 and Flora Avenue
  • Daggy was bicycling in the bike lane when hit

The incident occurred near the intersection of U.S Alternate 19 and Flora Avenue in Holiday. Donna Hudson said her son, Elijah Daggy, 37, is an avid cyclist who participates in triathlons and rides on local trails in Pasco County.

According to Hudson, Daggy was hit around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday while on his bike. Hudson said he was traveling in the bike lane when he was struck.

“He was in the bike lane properly, as the one witness who came forward has said," said Hudson. "And a white older SUV, late model, hit him from behind,” Hudson said.

Hudson said her son landed about a hundred feet away from his bicycle after he was hit, and the driver didn’t stop. Now her son is in a coma.

“By the grace of God, his father was the second person on the scene and found his bike and found him laying in the ditch, and we proceeded from there to get him help,” said Hudson.

Daggy's family is counting on just how busy a stretch U.S. Alternate 19 is. They said they’re hoping that someone driving along that road Wednesday afternoon saw what happened and will come forward.

“Someone saw something," said Hudson. "So if yesterday, Wednesday afternoon about 1:45 to two o’clock if you remember coming down Alternate 19, coming into Tarpon heading towards Tarpon and you remember seeing some confusion on the road, and maybe an off-white older SUV comes to your recollection, please come forward.”

The family said Daggy has several broken bones, and they have no idea how his brain will heal once he comes out of the medically induced coma.

“There’s just some healing that has to take place," said Hudson. "But he didn’t deserve this. He deserved for someone to pull over on the side of the road to check his condition."

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call 813-631-4020, or contact Crime Stoppers at 800-873-TIPS.

Bay News 9 has partnered with the Florida Department of Transportation on its “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow” campaign. The idea is to make sure we’re all sharing the road with people who walk or ride their bikes, and everyone makes it where they need to be safely.