Bradenton Woman Arrested, Charged With Vehicular Homicide: Cops

SARASOTA, FLA. — A 29-year-old Bradenton woman has been arrested and charged with vehicular homicide and other offenses in connection with a fatal pedestrian accident in January, police said Tuesday.

Leyonna Dunbar was arrested by Sarasota Police on Friday after an investigation determined that she was the driver of a Volkswagen that police said was involved in the accident on in the early-morning hours of Jan. 22, police said Tuesday. In addition to the vehicular homicide offense, Dunbar was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death and driving with a suspended license.

Police arrived at the intersection of 32nd Street and U.S. 41 (North Tamiami Trail) at 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 22 for a report of a traffic accident involving a pedestrian. A man was struck and killed by a car and the driver of the vehicle did not stop and continued driving north on U.S. 41, police said.

Police used red-light camera footage to view a 2001 Volkswagen passing through the traffic light at U.S. 41 and University Parkway with damage to the front right corner and windshield of the car, police said Tuesday. Police were able to locate registration information for the car and matched it up with the vehicle that they said was involved in the accident.

Officers towed the car to the Sarasota Police Department and had a search warrant to look over the car. Officers found a Taco Bell receipt inside the car and swabbed the steering wheel to obtain DNA, police said. Dunbar was identified as the driver in March and in April, DNA taken from the car was found to be a match to Dunbar, who was arrested at work last week.

She is currently being held in the Sarasota County Jail on a $185,000 bond, police said.