JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police are on the hunt for a driver who crashed a pickup truck Friday afternoon into a Southside day care, causing $75,0000 worth of damage, and then drove away.
The crash was reported at Little Temple Learning Center off Shad Road, near the intersection of Philips Highway.
Cellphone video captured by witnesses shows the white Ford pickup truck, reversing and leaving the scene after the driver crashed into the day care, which was left with broken glass and sheetrock inside. No injuries were reported.
“Had someone, a child or anyone, been hurt, you're looking at some serious jail time for leaving the scene of an accident with injuries,” News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith said. “We don't have that (in this instance), and we're so grateful for that.”
The crash report says two witnesses saw the crash and one of them was able to give the license plate number to police.
Police said the plate belongs to a truck that was tracked to a Mandarin apartment complex off Old St. Augustine Road about 2½ miles from the day care. Police came by twice and found the truck but weren't able to find the owner.
They're still looking for the man witnesses said was driving.
He was described as a white or Hispanic man with dark hair, a medium build and a goatee.
Smith had some advice for that driver.
“Leaving the scene of an accident, and then if they have to come to track you down, it could even be more severe, so the best thing this person can do right now, knowing police are going to catch up with you, is to go ahead and turn yourself in,” Smith said.
Anyone with information on who the driver is or where he might be is asked to called police at 904-630-0500.