Driver sought in Marion County hit-and-run

MARION COUNTY, Fla. — Investigators in Marion County are looking for a driver who they said hit a woman and left her for dead on the side of the road.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said Debra Mounts, 21, was walking on the shoulder of Northeast 25 Avenue in Ocala on Thursday night when she was hit by a passing truck.

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Troopers said the driver of the truck kept going.

A surveillance camera at a neighbor’s home captured the incident.

“He slowed down here in front of the house, like they had known they had hit someone, and then drove slow and continued down the road,” said nearby resident Crystal Peepels.

There aren’t any sidewalks in the area, and residents said it’s not well-lit.

Peepels’ daughter heard the crash and witnessed the dark blue, full-size pickup truck drive away from the scene.

“She thought he had hit a garbage can, from the sound of it, had she known it was a person, she would have paid better attention to it,” said Peepels. “She did look at and see it was a blue truck.”

Mounts was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, and her friends said she doesn’t appear to be improving.

Neighbors are hoping the victim can pull through and that troopers can track down the person who hit her.

“Just praying hard right now,” Peepels said.

A friend said Mounts was walking to a store when she was hit.

Investigators believe the truck should have damage to the right front side of the passenger-side mirror

Cox Media Group