TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa police have arrested a 56-year-old man accused of killing a U.S. Postal Service mail truck driver in a hit-and-crash Monday afternoon.
Christopher Prater was charged with leaving the scene of a crash with death, driving while license canceled, suspended or revoked with death or serious bodily injury.
The mailman – 69-year-old Paul Falica – was pronounced dead in the hit-and-run crash, according to the Tampa Police Department.
“I hope this swift arrest will provide a small sense of closure for the Falica family, as well as the extended family from the US Postal Service, as they all continue to navigate this tragedy,” Tampa Chief of Police Lee Bercaw said in a statement. “The combination of outstanding police work, diligent forensics investigation, and a tip from a concerned community member that led to this arrest is another demonstration that in Tampa we are safer, together.”
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Shortly before 3 p.m., police arrived at the intersection of North River Cove and North Mulberry Street after receiving a report of a deadly crash, Tampa police said. At the scene, the department says the mailman was pronounced dead.
Sky 10 flew over the area where the crash occurred and the USPS truck could be seen turned on its side.
The USPS expressed its condolences in a statement following Falica’s death:
“The Postal Service is deeply saddened by the loss of our postal family member,” the agency said. “Our condolences and thoughts go out to his family, friends, and co-workers.”
Investigators say a dark-colored Mercedes sedan hit the USPS truck and then drove away. Authorities reportedly found the suspect sedan about a mile away from the crash with damage but no driver inside.
Through an anonymous tip, the police department says the tip suggested Prater was involved in the deadly crash. After continuing to follow up on the tip, authorities contacted Prater who was at his home.
He reportedly told police that his roommate was driving the sedan but he was no longer in the area.
The owner of the sedan then told authorities he parked the vehicle at the location of Prater’s home a few days before the crash, but he did not allow anyone to drive it, police say. The car owner also said he gave the keys to Prater to keep at the home in case the sedan had to be moved.
“A search warrant was obtained for the vehicle, which was towed to Tampa Police Department’s Impound Lot,” TPD said in a news release. “Fingerprints recovered from inside matched those of Christopher Prater and a debit card with his name was found inside.”
Police say the oil pan cover from underneath the car was missing and there was also damage to the front bumper that was consistent with the impact from the crash.
Investigators say they gathered more information that went against what Prater had told them, including video surveillance that showed him entering and leaving the car before and after it came back to the home with front-end damage. Witnesses also told authorities they could identify him by the clothes he was wearing in the video footage on the same day when the crash happened.
The police department says Prater was arrested on Tuesday and taken to Falkenburg Road Jail.
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