A man has been found guilty of intentionally running over and killing a woman in Golden Gate Estates.
Officials determined Donald Lee Whitaker ran over the woman in November 2022.
According to the State Attorney's Office, witnesses said the woman was lying in the roadway, and a minivan was idling nearby.
A witness who was driving by stopped and asked her if she needed help. The victim was reportedly crying in a semi-fetal position and told them no. The witness called law enforcement.
Within seconds, Whitaker sped up the minivan and ran her over. Witnesses said he then got out of the vehicle and tried to lift the victim.
According to the State Attorney's Office, witnesses asked him to stop trying to move her due to her severe injuries and waited on the scene until law enforcement arrived.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office took Whitaker into custody; however, the woman died after she was rushed to the hospital.
Whitaker gave various stories to CCSO detectives about what happened. According to the news release, he even claimed the victim was run over by the truck and horse trailer driven by the witness who reported the incident.
Whitaker was arrested and charged after investigators reviewed evidence found on the minivan's undercarriage that showed impact with the victim and witness statements.
Whitaker was found guilty of second-degree murder, and his sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 9, 2025.