An attorney for a Villager facing a hit-and-run charge wants to question the couple who had been traveling in a golf cart when they were allegedly hit by his client’s SUV.
Noreen Nevrly, 75, of the Village of Hillsborough has been charged in the March 31 hit-and-run crash in which Villager Roseanna Diiuro was knocked from her golf cart onto the pavement. She suffered a traumatic brain injury, 14 broken ribs, a broken clavicle, a broken scapula, punctured lungs and other extensive internal trauma. Her husband had been traveling in the golf cart with her, but escaped serious injury.
Criminal defense attorney Christopher Klemawesch, who is representing Nevrly, wants to depose Roseanna Diiuro and her husband, Leonard. Their depositions are scheduled for next month. Klemawesch will also depose law enforcement officers who were involved in the investigation into the accident.
Witnesses told an investigator with the Florida Highway Patrol that on the day of the crash, they saw a white SUV traveling east on Hillsborough Trail approaching Amish Path. The Diiuros’ golf cart was also traveling east on Hillsborough Trail in the golf cart lane. The SUV made a right 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. Nevrly 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.
Nevrly remains free on $5,000 bond.