Xavier Omar Rigby repeat problem driver kills Kjersten Aileen-Hermance Strang, St Petersburg, Florida single mom riding her e-bike in hit and run. DUI driver drove 8 blocks with victim’s body on windshield.
A repeat offence driver in Florida is alleged to have run over a single mother and dragged her body on his windshield for a further 8 blocks before her body sliding off.
Kjersten Aileen-Hermance Strang, 38, was riding her e-bike along 49th Street South, in Gulfport, around 10pm on Saturday when Xavier Omar Rigby, 22 rammed into her, hurling her onto the hood of his Nissan Altima.
Hit and run DUI driver found at liquor store after carrying victim’s body 8 blocks on windshield
Rigby was traveling along the road at a ‘high rate of speed’ when he slammed into the rear of Strang’s bike.
Rigby, who has multiple prior traffic offenses including DUI did not call for help and simply fled, leaving Strang dying alone on the roadside.
Strang, who lived in nearby St. Petersburg was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office quickly identified the suspect’s vehicle and a short time later, Rigby was found at a liquor store just a mile from the scene.
Police said they could smell alcohol on his breath, and noted his bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and unsteady gait.
Rigby refused field sobriety tests and was arrested.
Rigby was charged with DUI manslaughter, vehicular homicide, and leaving the scene of a crash involving death.
Repeat problem driver
During his first court appearance on Monday, Judge Elizabeth Zuroweste rebuked the repeat ‘problem driver,’ citing Rigby’s criminal history and his role in the deadly crash, Fox 13 reported.
‘I’m finding that you’re a danger to the community and that nothing else can secure your decision making and putting your life and everyone else’s life on the road,’ Judge Zuroweste said.
‘Here you are with a prior leaving the scene from 2022, then in 2024, the state was generous enough to reduce your DUI to a reckless, for purposes of bond, it’s a DUI. So, then, here we are now,’ she said highlight his record.
‘We’ve now gone to a second DUI, but this time the extremely aggravating facts where you’ve killed somebody, left the scene and dragged their body. And I don’t need to go any further for how aggravating this set of facts are,’ said Judge Zuroweste.
Rigby was denied bond on two of the charges and given a $750,000 bond for DUI manslaughter.
Florida family left to grieve ‘caring’ ‘devoted’ single mom
Court records indicate Rigby having a pattern of reckless behavior behind the wheel.
In 2022, he was involved in another hit-and-run, and in 2023, he was arrested for DUI after admitting to drinking and smoking marijuana before getting into the driver’s seat.
That charge was plea-bargained down to reckless driving in 2024.
‘This was not his first time endangering lives on the road,’ the judge said. ‘But this time, his recklessness ended in a preventable tragedy.’
A GoFundMe set up to help support her family described Strang as an ‘angel’ and one of the most caring people in the community.
Social media posts showed Strang to be a devoted single mom.
Read a recent FB post, ‘I’ll love you forever. I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be loved’,
