PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla — The man accused of smashing into 4 cars along a stretch of US 19 Tuesday faced charges in court Wednesday.
Jason Mizerski is charged with several counts of felony DUI and leaving the scene. He also has a history of bad driving and shouldn’t have been behind the wheel. Traffic homicide investigators say his license is permanently revoked for four or more DUI charges and other traffic violations.
"I’m just really thankful that she’s OK and they got the guy,” said Zachary Johns, a man who witnessed one of the crashes involving a car that was driving in front of him near SR 590. He took a picture of the damage and shared it with ABC Action News.
“The whole time I’m thinking in my mind 'what’s going on? Where is she going to go? Is she going to flip, is she going to stop?' And I’m looking behind me here and there I mean it was like real life. It was crazy,” he said.
The Clearwater Police Department says that was one of four crashes Mizerski caused that morning. They say each time he took off.
Johns just learned of the other crashes Wednesday and couldn’t help but get emotional.
"Just seeing the craziness in the world, how people are, and what they do. I mean the guy hit her like nothing happened and just kept going on,” he said.
Mizerski went before a judge Wednesday in Pinellas County, who made it clear Mizerski is never allowed to drive again.
"Not a car, not a boat, not a goped not a moped. Not a plane, not a train, not a Jet ski, you cannot be operating anything that’s not being operated by your own 2 feet,” said Judge Pat Siracusa.
When asked if he could get bond for violating probation, Judge Siracusa said no and accused him of being a “one man crash derby” on 19.
"He’s not there, he’s not mentally there in my opinion. How could you have caused all of that after not being on the road and ask for a bond?” asked Johns.
Mizerski has 48 hours to get an attorney.
