Man ‘upset’ with mom intentionally ran down stranger
A 36-year-old Florida man has been arrested after allegedly driving his car into a 74-year-old man sitting by the roadside, in what authorities say was a deliberate act following a heated argument with his mother.
Quaze Lavarn Simmons was taken into custody over the weekend and charged with one count of attempted murder in connection with the incident.
According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 10:42 a.m. on Sunday to a call about a pedestrian being struck near Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Josephine Street in South Brooksville, about 45 miles north of Tampa. Witnesses reported that the victim was seated in a chair when a vehicle hit him, and the driver fled into nearby woods.
When first responders arrived, they found a gold Toyota Corolla LE parked on the sidewalk at the scene — unoccupied. The victim, identified only as a Brooksville man, suffered severe injuries to both legs and serious head trauma. He was airlifted to a trauma center for emergency treatment.
Deputies traced the vehicle to its registered owner, who told them her son, Simmons, also frequently used the car. A search of the surrounding area ensued, and shortly after, Simmons emerged from the woods nearby, visibly dirty and wet. He was detained without resistance, reportedly telling deputies he was “scared.”
During questioning, Simmons gave conflicting explanations for the crash — initially claiming he lost control of the car and fled out of fear of his mother’s reaction. However, nearby surveillance footage told a different story. The video reportedly showed Simmons accelerating across traffic lanes directly toward the seated man, with no indication that he attempted to brake or lost control of the vehicle.
Confronted with the evidence, Simmons allegedly admitted the act was intentional. He told investigators he had been upset after arguing with his mother about money and chose to strike the man simply because he was “just there.”
Simmons was arrested and booked into the Hernando County Detention Center. He is being held on a $250,000 bond.
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