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Teen arrested in hit-and-run crash that killed Tampa pedestrian

 
Published Dec. 6, 2012

TAMPA — Acting on a tip, police arrested an 18-year-old Wednesday on charges he fled from a crash that killed a pedestrian four days earlier.

Fernando Lazaro Lahera Chibas of Tampa faces felony charges of leaving the scene of a crash with death and tampering with evidence. He was being held on $17,000 bail.

At 3 a.m. Saturday, Omar James Jeter, 22, of Tampa was killed while crossing Hillsborough Avenue near Lincoln Avenue. He was not in a crosswalk, police said.

Investigators said they were looking for a compact car with front-end and windshield damage. They had released grainy surveillance video that captured the crash. Police said that, after receiving the they determined the driver of that car.

Police said Lahera Chibas admitted he had fled because he was scared. But if he had stayed at the scene and not shown signs of impairment, they said, he wouldn't have been charged.