South Daytona, FL – Detectives are looking for a person of interest in the case of a car crashing into a South Daytona apartment last week, destroying its kitchen.
The South Daytona Police Department says it happened around 11:30 PM last Wednesday at the River Golf Townhomes on 1600 South Palmetto Avenue.
SDPD Chief Ron Wright says a black 2016 Chevy Impala belonging to Enterprise Rent-A-Car slammed into the kitchen of Unit 123 and was so wrecked that it had to be towed from the scene.
“Our investigation into this hit and run crash has yielded a possible suspect,” Wright added in an email sent to the media on Monday. “That suspect is identified as Derrick Bell. [He] is encouraged to come in and speak with our investigators regarding this incident.”
SDPD hasn’t released any other new information on the case other than to note that Bell is a black man who’s 37 years old.
Volusia County Jail records show Bell has been booked there 11 times since November 2001, including most recently in July 2014 for marijuana possession under 20 grams.
Investigators think the Impala was heading south on the 1500 block of South Palmetto when it ran the stop sign at Beville Road and slammed into a concrete block wall that made up part of the kitchen in Unit 123.
Wright says no other vehicles appear to be involved and no one else seemed to be in the vehicle at the time of the crash other than the driver.
“Immediately after the crash, the driver fled the scene on foot,” Wright noted. “An anonymous caller described the driver as a young black male wearing a hoodie.”
Wright noted that the apartment was occupied at the time but no one inside was injured. He also said blood was found in the vehicle – presumably belonging to the driver – and that the Impala was not reported as stolen.
City inspectors were called to the apartment to check the building’s integrity following the crash, according to SDPD Lieutenant Mark Cheatham. He also noted that the kitchen in the apartment was destroyed.
Anyone with information can call SDPD Motor Officer Rainey Hetznecker at 386-322-3030 or Crime Stoppers at 888-277-8477 to remain anonymous and possibly qualify for a cash reward.
Photos above and below of the scene are courtesy of SDPD.
Derrick Bell (July 2014 mugshot courtesy VCJ)
Copyright 2016 Southern Stone Communications.