PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — A man in Pasco County, who is facing charges for distracted driving, was arrested on Friday when he tried to drive away from a courthouse after his license was just suspended, according to arrest documents.
Stephen Tedford, 55, hit and killed 21-year-old Johnathan Gray in 2018 while texting and driving, according to Florida Highway Patrol. Tedford initially faced a careless driving charge after the incident, but it was upgraded to distracted driving.
Tedford was fined over $1,000 during the appearance and had his license suspended.
Christina Gray, the victim's mother, was also in court on Friday. When she saw Tedford getting into his vehicle, looking like he was about to drive away she approached an FHP trooper.
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The trooper observed Tedford, then made a traffic stop when he started backing out of the spot, according to arrest records. When the trooper asked, he confirmed that his license was suspended and he was placed under arrest, records show.
Christina Gray says he son was newly engaged and expecting a baby when he was killed. He was walking home from work in June 2018 when he was hit.
"He always had a smile for everybody, no matter what he was going through," Christina Gray said at the time.
FHP reports at the time show that Tedford left the scene after the collision, but eventually returned.
"He hit, never stopped, never hit his brakes and then decided to come back to see what he hit," said Christina Gray. "To me, that’s a hit and run."
Texting and driving became a primary offense on July 1.
