A Villager charged with hit-and-run after allegedly crashing into a golf cart and fleeing the scene is offering specific reasons she needs her driving privileges restored by a judge.
Noreen Nevrly, 75, of the Village of Hillsborough, is facing a felony charge of hit and run after allegedly striking a golf cart with her sport utility vehicle.
The Chicago native remains free on $5,000 bond. However, a judge ordered that as a condition of her bond, she cannot drive for any purpose other than doctor’s appointments.
Nevrly has retained criminal defense attorney Christopher Klemawesch, who is also representing Villager Richard Keil, charged with DUI manslaughter in the death of a Villager’s daughter who fatally fell from a golf cart he was driving.
Klemwesch has filed a motion in Sumter County Court, asking the judge to relax the driving restriction placed on his client.
Here is the list of reason he argues that his client needs to be able to drive:
• Nevrly is the lone driver in the household. Her 82-year-old husband is fully disabled. He also needs to attend workouts three times per week at a recreation center, in addition to seeing a physical therapist.
• She needs to be able to drive to the postal station.
• She needs to be able to go to the grocery store and to the bank.
• Her dog has veterinary and possibly other appointments.
Her lawyer has indicated that Nevryl’s car was impounded by the Florida Highway Patrol as part of the investigation. That means his client will have to rent a car, according to the motion.
Witnesses told an investigator with the FHP that they saw a white SUV traveling east on Hillsborough Trail approaching Amish Path at about 3 p.m. March 31. A golf cart was also traveling east on Hillsborough Trail in the golf cart lane. The SUV made a turn onto Amish Path and the SUV’s right rear tire made contact with the left front tire of the golf cart, causing the driver to fall out. The SUV kept going.
The FHP investigator contacted Community Watch and viewed the gate camera surveillance footage from the Village of Hillsborough entrance. The white SUV was captured on video passing through the gate shortly before the hit-and-run crash occurred.
The investigator tracked the SUV to Nevrly’s home at 1618 Tango St. The investigator went to the residence and spoke to her husband, who opened the garage door and showed the investigator the SUV, which had scuff marks just above the gas cap and near the right rear tire. Nevryl abruptly walked out into the garage and closed the door with the investigator and her husband still in the driveway. The husband reopened the garage door at the investigator’s request.
Nevrly admitted she had been driving on Hillsborough Trail at about the time of the accident. She claimed she was not aware that her SUV made contact with the golf cart and that if it had happened, “they must have run into her,” according to an affidavit from FHP. Nevrly also claimed she is hard of hearing and must have had her music turned up while driving. She said she never heard or felt a collision.