Left inset: Dawn Dunkle (Clearwater Police Department). Right inset: Elbert Gilbert (GoFundMe). Background: Surveillance footage showing what cops say is Dawn Dunkle driving her red Ford Mustang on a street near the area where she allegedly hit and killed Elbert Gilbert (CPD/Facebook).
A tragic incident unfolded in Florida when a woman driving a Ford Mustang struck a 60-year-old homeless man in a designated crosswalk. The woman, Dawn Dunkle, later claimed she believed she had hit a box or a speed bump, according to law enforcement officials.
The accident occurred as Dunkle, 51, was traveling westbound along the 1400 block of Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard in Clearwater. Her vehicle hit Elbert Gilbert on February 4, as detailed in a statement released by the Clearwater Police Department.
Following the collision, Dunkle allegedly left the scene and abandoned her 2024 red Mustang nearby. Authorities discovered the car “a few days later” and linked it to Dunkle, who was subsequently arrested and charged.
“After the collision with Gilbert, Dunkle failed to contact emergency services or provide assistance. She fled, leaving behind parts of her vehicle,” the police statement reads. Dunkle reportedly told others she mistook the impact for hitting a box or a speed bump.
In a heartfelt GoFundMe campaign, Gilbert’s son described him as a loving father with a “kind, gentle heart” who was cherished by everyone he encountered. The nonprofit Hydrate the Homeless, which serves the local community, expressed deep sorrow over Gilbert’s death, stating, “We are all just devastated for this loss. He held a special place in all our hearts.”
Carla Morgan, the organization’s founder, shared her sentiments with CBS affiliate WTSP, saying, “We’re going to miss him a lot. He always had a smile, sometimes a fun joke. I always looked forward to seeing him.”
Describing what Dunkle allegedly did, Morgan said, “I think it would make all of us feel better that the person who did this is punished. They’re going to have to live with this for the rest of their life. They’re not going to be able to run away from it.”
Dunkle was booked into the Pinellas County Jail on charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving death and possession of a controlled substance after she was allegedly caught with alprazolam, commonly known by the brand name Xanax, court records show. She was being held on a $150,000 bond.
