While enjoying a birthday getaway with his girlfriend in Florida, Jonathan King found himself the unfortunate victim of a nearly fatal hit-and-run incident that severely injured his left leg.

The 34-year-old data scientist was navigating the streets of Florida on an electric scooter with his partner, Myra Yomjinda. They were headed to The Biltmore Hotel, marking their final destination before catching a flight back to California later that day.

On the evening of December 15, at approximately 5:15 p.m., the couple was traveling east on Giralda Avenue. They had paused to let traffic clear before making a right turn onto Douglas Road when a white Audi SQ7 SUV approached from behind and struck King, narrowly avoiding Yomjinda.

Tragically, King’s left leg became trapped under the SUV’s front right tire, suffering severe damage from its weight.

“I was in excruciating pain, yelling for help. My girlfriend was frantically banging on the car, shouting, ‘Reverse! Reverse!’ We realized that moving the car just a few more inches could have resulted in the loss of my entire leg,” King recounted to the Daily Mail.

The SUV’s driver, James Bailey, aged 40, is known as a Miami investor and is married to actress Devon Aoki, famous for her role in the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious. Devon is the daughter of the late Rocky Aoki, the founder of the renowned Benihana restaurant chain.

Bailey was alone in the vehicle at the time of the crash and initially appeared unaware of what was happening. Video footage shows King leaning over the hood of the car, his foot between the tire and the street, and his leg curved against the front part of the tire.

‘I see him just looking at me. We locked eyes. I am screaming as he is driving a little bit further onto my leg,’ King recalled.

 Jonathan King was struck while he was riding his electric scooter on a road in Coral Gables, Florida, and his left leg was pinned underneath his vehicle 

James Bailey pictured here with his wife, actress and model Devon Aoki, who was not in the vehicle at the time, was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run on December 15

In that horrifying moment, King said his girlfriend ran around to the driver’s side of Bailey’s vehicle, opened the door, and pleaded with the driver to put the car in reverse.

‘As he lifted the tire off my foot, I fell to the ground when I realized in that moment my leg was crushed,’ he recalled. ‘I was in so much pain, but I had to position my body out of the way, otherwise he could still run over my body or kill me.’

According to court documents, Bailey fled the scene and continued to try to evade the police when they arrived at his $9.1 million Miami mansion.

He was apprehended and charged with leaving the scene of a crash, causing bodily injury, and resisting an officer without violence, records show.

He was booked at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and bonded out on $7,500, per documents.

King was hospitalized and sustained multiple fractures to his leg. He was told he may require multiple surgeries and that they were waiting for the swelling to go down.

King is named as the plaintiff in a lawsuit he filed on December 18 in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court.

He is suing both parties: Bailey, for negligence, serious bodily injury, and permanent impairment, and his wife for vicarious liability. Under Florida’s Dangerous Instrumentality Doctrine, Aoki is also liable as she co-owns the vehicle.

King also demands a jury trial.

Criminal defense attorney Michelle Suskauer, who is reportedly representing Bailey, did not respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.

Suskauer told TMZ that her firm is ‘currently gathering information about this accident as it involved someone operating a scooter entering an intersection.’

Justin Shapiro of Leesfield & Partners, who represents King, was unable to share the amount they are seeking in the lawsuit but said it would be in the ‘millions.’ 

‘The story is as bizarre as it is tragic,’ Shapiro told the Daily Mail. 

‘Mr Bailey is a highly successful, prominent person. He should be doing great things for this community as a leader. Instead, he’s causing a hit-and-run crash, and he’s leaving John on the street with a shattered leg after he literally ran him over.’

Bailey works in private equity, and his wife, Aoki, is also a successful model. The couple shares four children. Aoki’s brother is a famous DJ and record producer, Steve Aoki.

Shapiro reported that he is investigating whether the driver was under the influence at the time.

‘We have a lot of questions about that, and we are talking to witnesses about that,’ he said. 

A photo of Knight’s leg lodged under the front wheel of Bailey’s vehicle 

Bailey is married to model and a 2 Fast 2 Furious actress Devon Aoki, 43

The couple live in a sprawling $9 million mansion in Pinecrest, Florida 

‘What I can tell you is that leaving the scene after you run someone over with your vehicle is one of the most disgraceful things a human being can possibly do, and that’s why it’s a felony,’ Shapiro said.

He told the Daily Mail they are also going to file a punitive damages claim and would need to determine the net worth of Bailey and Aoki. 

‘We don’t know what that is, but know it is substantial,’ he added. 

‘Mr Bailey would be held fully accountable for what he did that day. There is no tolerance for this kind of behavior in our legal system, especially when it results in severe injury like this, and we are going to work tirelessly to make sure that John is fully compensated.’ 

Devon Aoki and her brother international DJ and record producer Steven Aoki 

The complaint reviewed by the Daily Mail alleged that Bailey never stopped to check on King’s condition, render aid or exchange information. Surveillance footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows Bailey fleeing from the scene.

King’s lawyer said that many witnesses near the scene recorded Bailey’s license plate number. And, at the time of the crash, officers said the vehicle was captured on ‘several’ automated license plate readers as it fled the area.

The registered address for the Audi SQ7 SUV was linked to a seven-bedroom, seven-and-a-half-bathroom mansion.

During the investigation, an officer made contact with one of the vehicle’s registered owners, Aoki, who stated she did not know the whereabouts of her Audi.

According to the police report, as the officer was leaving the house, Bailey arrived at the residence in the car.

The officer said he activated his emergency lights and called out for Bailey to stop walking and come toward him.

However, Bailey allegedly ran away from the officer, entered his home, and locked the front door.

The officer inspected the Audi SQ7 SUV and found that it had ‘minor damage consistent with a collision with a pedestrian on a stand-up scooter.’

‘I observed paint transfer marks and small paint chips on the right front bumper and hood area,’ the cop stated

James Bailey, 40, is charged with leaving the scene of a crash causing bodily injury and resisting an officer without violence, records show 

King, 34, a data scientist from California, has filed a civil lawsuit in Miami-Dade County Court and is suing the Miami investor

King, who describes himself as a ‘very active’ person, is not sure if he will suffer permanent damage and if he will have metal plates and screws in his leg.

He said he is still undergoing testing and X-rays and waiting for the swelling to go down before he can be operated on.

He is recovering at his girlfriend’s home in Portland, Oregon. ‘It’s been incredibly chaotic and emotional,’ King told the Daily Mail.

‘I’m in constant severe pain. My girlfriend and I have been crying about this every day because it’s been so traumatic.’

Bailey’s next court date is scheduled for February 13.