Scott Powers
The felony hit-and-run case against former lobbyist Richard D. Anderson is scheduled for a plea negotiation settlement Wednesday but the state prosecutor’s office indicated they expect the case to head to trial at a date to be determined.
Anderson, 62, of Apopka, faces five criminal charges including leaving the scene of a crash involving injury and reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, stemming from an April 5 early-morning crash in Lake County, near Sorrento.
The docket for the case before 5th Judicial Circuit Judge Lawrence Semento of Lake County calls for a plea negotiation conference Wednesday, with possible sentencing on Oct. 31. But a spokesman for the office of 5th Judicial Circuit State Attorney Brad King said no settlement is anticipated and the state attorney’s office is expecting to go forward with the trial.
Anderson is a former city administrator for Apopka who was working on a two-year, $22,000-per-month consultant contract with that city, as well as serving as city manager for the city of Belle Isle. He also was a lobbyist.
According to the FHP, shortly before 1:30 a.m. April 5, a 2014 Dodge Ram pickup truck owned by Anderson crossed into the opposite lane on State Road 46 and slammed head-on into a Toyota Corolla driven by a Michael Falcon of Grand Island. Falcon suffered debilitating injuries and was airlifted to a hospital.
