Arrest made in hit-and-run death of MMA fighter in Florida
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Police in Florida have arrested a man whose license had been suspended for the fatal crash that killed mixed martial arts fighter Jordan Parsons.
Delray Beach police spokeswoman Dani Moschella said in a statement Saturday that Dennis Wright faces multiple charges including leaving the scene of a crash causing death. Jail records show he also faces charges of tampering with evidence and driving with a suspended license.
Parsons was wearing headphones in a crosswalk when he was hit by a Range Rover traveling up to 120 miles per hour on Federal Highway last Sunday. The Range Rover never stopped, and neither did a Mercedes being driven by Wright's friend that was traveling behind the SUV, according to Delray Beach police.
An anonymous tipster passed on Wright's name to detectives and they discovered that Wright's mother owned a Range Rover. Wright attempted to have the vehicle repaired at a body shop but the owner refused to do the work. Wright then rented a bay at a storage facility and hid the Range Rover there, according to a statement from the Delray Beach Police.
Wright's license has been suspended six times, Moschella said.
On Sunday, a judge set Wright's bond at $600,000, well above the $50,000 bond requested by Wright's attorney.
Wright's attorney, Robert Resnick, told The Palm Beach Post (http://pbpo.st/1WSV7Xd ) that all the facts in the case haven't yet come out.
"There are a lot of facts that have not been established in this case," Resnick said.
Parsons fought for Bellator MMA and had an 11-2-0 record. Bellator president Scott Coker last week called Parsons "an exceptional athlete and a rising star in the sport."
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Information from: The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post, http://www.pbpost.com
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Information from: The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post, http://www.pbpost.com