Shawn Kaleta, 38, of Holmes Beach, was arrested for leaving the scene of a chain-reaction crash with property damage on Manatee Avenue/Route 64 near Interstate 75.
Kaleta was driving west on Manatee Avenue July 8 when his 2016 Tesla rear-ended a vehicle in a right-through lane, east of 66th Street Court East, according to a Florida Highway Patrol report.
Struck by Kaleta’s Tesla, the vehicle hit another car ahead of it and became disabled on Manatee Avenue. The vehicle in front was moved to a nearby Citgo gas station, the FHP report stated.
Kaleta’s vehicle was observed in a Starbucks parking lot at 6521 SR 64, “dragging the front bumper across the pavement,” according to the report.
The FHP located Kaleta and his vehicle at his Holmes Beach home. Kaleta told the officer he “did not realize he was involved in a collision.”
The FHP also reported his vehicle had “extensive front-end damage.”
Kaleta attorney Greg Hagopian of the Bradenton law firm of Gallagher and Hagopian said Kaleta was in the process of contacting the FHP while law enforcement was looking for him.
They are looking into whether the crash was caused by an automotive malfunction, he said, adding his client “will be cooperating fully within the law.”
Hagopian filed a plea of not guilty July 14 on behalf of Kaleta, who was ticketed for careless driving. He faces two charges of leaving the crash involving more than $30,000 in damages.
His arraignment is set for 8:25 a.m. Monday, Aug. 8, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.