A Sarasota judge was cited for careless driving and failure to provide information after police said he sideswiped another vehicle and left the scene of an Aug. 25 crash, according to court records.
A police report said Thomas Krug, a judge in Florida’s 12th Judicial Circuit, hit another vehicle while driving on Fruitville Road on the Tuesday morning. The crash occurred near Tuttle Road, and a witness told police that a blue BMW struck a black Kia Forte and immediately drove away, according to the report.
After police identified him using video footage from a local business and a witness's dash camera, Krug told law enforcement that he did not realize he had struck a vehicle while attempting to merge into another lane and had "not even checked
his car for damage," according to the crash report. Krug was reportedly on his way to work at the time of the crash.
However, an officer reviewing the case said that "both vehicles appear to rock side to side from the crash" in the obtained footage. Investigators also observed damage to the passenger side fender of Krug’s BMW that was consistent with the damage on the Kia Forte.
Krug was cited for "careless driving: same direction sideswipe crash" and "failure to provide information at crash (more than $50 of damage)," according to the report. No injuries were reported. Police closed the investigation pending any new information, but the court cases are still active.
Leaving the scene of a crash involving only property damage is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a fine of up to $500 under Florida Statute 316.061.
Krug could not be immediately reached for comment.
Kendal Asbury is the real estate and development reporter for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Have an idea, tip or question about development? Send her an email at kasbury@usatodayco.com. Connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on Instagram @wordsbykendal, and support local journalism by subscribing to the Herald-Tribune.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota judge accused of leaving crash scene after sideswiping vehicle
