Man charged with hitting pedestrian, fleeing the scene

Gulfport Police have charged a man with leaving the scene of an accident causing injury after an incident on Tuesday.

Police say 78-year-old Elio Gonzalo Fombellida is charged him with one count of leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury and one count of possession of a controlled substance. He was taken to the Harrison County jail and bond was set at $300,000.

Officers responded to an accident involving a pedestrian about 5:42 p.m. Tuesday near 25th Avenue and 19th Street. Investigators say Fombellida initially collided with a UPS truck and fled, then struck a pedestrian and hit two other vehicles.

When officers found Fombellida, he again tried to flee but was stopped and arrested. He also was found with cocaine in his pants pocket, which he claimed was left in his vehicle by a friend and he pocketed it hoping officers wouldn’t find it.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Gulfport Police at 228-868-5959 or Mississippi Crime Stoppers at 877-787-5898.