Left inset: Xavier Rigby (Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office). Right inset: Kjersten Aileen-Hermance Strang (Facebook). Background: The area of 49th Street and 10th Avenue South in Gulfport, Fla., where Xavier Rigby allegedly struck and killed Kjersten Aileen-Hermance Strang (Google Maps).
Authorities report that a Florida man, allegedly intoxicated at the time, hit a woman riding an “E-bike” and continued to drive for about eight blocks with her body on the windshield of his Nissan Altima before she fell off and was left unassisted.
Xavier Rugby, 22, faces charges including leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, vehicular homicide, and DUI manslaughter for the incident that resulted in the death of Kjersten Aileen-Hermance Strang, 38, from St. Petersburg, according to a Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office press release.
Strang was riding along 49th Street South in Gulfport when she was hit by Rugby around 10 p.m., police say. She succumbed to her injuries on-site.
“Rigby was operating a 2021 Nissan Altima southbound on 49th Street, nearing 10th Avenue South, at a high speed,” according to the sheriff’s office. “Investigators indicate Rigby struck Strang, causing her to fly off her E-bike and land on the vehicle’s windshield. Rigby proceeded to drive approximately eight blocks before Strang was released from the vehicle.”
Instead of stopping, Rigby allegedly fled the scene “without contacting 911 or waiting for police and emergency services.” St. Petersburg Police Department officers later located him near 2222 49th Street South in St. Petersburg and attempted to conduct a DUI test.
“Rigby showed signs of impairment and refused to cooperate with field sobriety tests,” the PCSO release says. Rigby was arrested soon after and transported to the Pinellas County Jail, where he remained behind bars Sunday.
“Heaven gained one of the most beautiful (inside and out) angels who loved life to the fullest,” Strang’s aunt and godmother wrote on Facebook Sunday. “[Strang] was just getting her life back together when a drunk driver struck her while she was riding her bike in Gulfport, FL. The person in the car fled the scene. Please pray for our family as we mourn her passing.”
