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Highlands Today

Local Man Charged In Hit-And-Run Death

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By BRAD DICKERSON

Highlands Today

Published: November 5, 2008

SEBRING - A local man remained in jail Tuesday without bond following his arrest Monday night in connection with the hit-and-run death of Edwin Vega, 34, of Avon Park.

David Alan Quiggle Jr., 31, of 213 S. Commerce Ave., Sebring, is charged with first-degree hit-and-run for failure to remain at a crash involving a death. His first appearance is set for this morning.

At 11:30 p.m., officers with the Sebring Police Department responded to 1920 Melady Ave., after receiving a call about the hit-and-run. Vega was found in the road and pronounced dead on scene by responding emergency medical personnel.

Witnesses told police that Quiggle and Vega got into a "physical altercation," with the suspect eventually hitting the victim over the head with a bottle. The two witnesses said they tried to break the fight up, which allowed Quiggle to return to his car, a white Lexus.
Vega "broke loose" from the witnesses, approached Quiggle's car and leaned in the front driver's door and kept fighting, according to the arrest report. The witnesses said an unknown front seat passenger grabbed a hold of Vega and the suspect drove off, with the victim hanging on the left side of the car.

The victim's feet started dragging and he fell from the car. The left rear tire then reportedly ran over his head.

Alcohol was allegedly a factor in the incident, according to authorities.

At 11:50 p.m., Quiggle was located at his home, as were two passengers who were inside the Lexus at the time of incident.

One of the passengers told police she and Quiggle had been at Shooters Bar. After leaving, they went and picked up the second passenger and drove to the Melady Avenue area.

After getting to Melady Avenue, one of the passengers said she tried to get out of the car and accidently hit Vega with the door, at which time the victim slammed the door on her, the report stated.

When the passenger tried to get out a second time, Vega reportedly slammed the door shut on her again. This led Quiggle and the victim to begin fighting.

Once the suspect got back into the car, the victim leaned in the driver's side window and started fighting with Quiggle again, according to the passenger's statement. Quiggle drove off, with Vega hanging on the car.

The passenger said Vega fell from the car and she thought she heard it run over the subject's foot.

Another passenger, a male, told authorities that once Vega fell from the car, he felt the vehicle hit something, which he also assumed was the subject's foot.

Both passengers denied grabbing onto Vega and holding him in the vehicle as Quiggle drove off, the report stated.

Officers said they could smell alcohol coming from Quiggle's person as they described to him the circumstances of the investigation. Field sobriety exercises were requested, but the suspect refused to do them. A blood sample was taken, and DUI manslaughter charges will be pending the lab results.

Curtis Hart, with the SPD's Criminal Investigation Division, made the arrest.

Brad Dickerson can be reached at (863) 386-5838 or bdickerson@highlandstoday.com

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