Motorist gets DWI after hit-and-run
By DAVID LOWE Staff Writer

PHOTO BY DAVID LOWE David Rollins, 21, of Florida crashed his 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse into cedar trees Monday morning while leaving the scene of his collision with a pickup truck at Christensen's Grocery. Rollins was arrested for driving while intoxicated and for striking an unattended vehicle.

David D. Rollins, 21, of Florida was arrested Monday morning after colliding with a pickup truck at Christensen's Grocery in the far eastern end of the county and then driving away.

He was charged with driving while intoxicated and striking an unattended vehicle, said Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Michael Tatum, who made the arrest.

Rollins, driver of a 2004 Mitsubishi Eclipse, struck a 1981 Ford F-150 while backing up at Christensen's. Rick Young was refueling the pickup on his way to work.

Loretta Steadman, a passenger in Young's vehicle, said she was opening the door to get in the vehicle when Rollins drove away on Farm-to-Market Road 2808, nearly hitting her.

"We're just in shock," Ms. Steadman said. She said Rollins' car lifted off the ground as he accelerated out of the parking lot.

"He said he left because he had alcohol in his system, and he didn't want to get a DWI," Tatum said of Rollins.

The trooper received a call at 9:25 a.m. about the collision.

When the driver left the scene, he crossed over onto the grass beside the westbound lane and struck two cedar trees, Tatum said.

Chelie Byerly was driving east on FM 2808 to an auto mechanic with her husband, Brian Byerly, following in another vehicle when Rollins drove away from the gas station parking lot and nearly hit Mrs. Byerly head on.

Six months pregnant, Mrs. Byerly said her main concern, and her husband's, was for their baby.

"(Rollins) just barely missed me, and that's when he went flying into the ditch," she said.

With his car in the ditch, Rollins left the vehicle and started walking away down the road, Mrs. Byerly said. Several witnesses called out to him, telling him to stay at the scene, she added.

"He never said anything," she said. "He never said, 'I'm sorry.'"