Indian-origin store owner in Florida charged with murder after he hits and runs over 14-year-old who allegedly broke into his shop

Indian-origin convenience store owner Kavan Patel (left) charged with second-degree murder of Hunter Russey, a 14-year-old, whom Patel hit and then left to die, in Florida.

32-year-old Kavan Patel, an Indian-origin store owner in Florida’s West Melbourne, has been charged with murder after a 14-year-old boy on his bike, who was hit by Patel, died. Patel was initially arrested on October 13 after investigators found that Patel intentionally hit Hunter Russey and then left him to die. Russey was found unresponsive when cops found him. He was transferred to Orlando Health Children’s Arnold Palmer Hospital with such severe injuries that he had to be put on life support.On October 17, Russey was taken off life support on his family’s consent and he died. His family chose to donte his organs to help others.Patel was arrested again on October 18 and this time he was charged with second-degree murder. He is being held at the Brevard County jail without bond, local reports said. Earlier, he was charged with aggravated battery and leaving the scene of a crash involving great bodily injuryPatel suspected Russey of a break-in attempt at his shop, followed and hit himThe crash happened shortly after 4:30 am Tuesday along Cocoanut Grove Avenue. Police say Patel intentionally hit Russey, who was riding a bike, with his vehicle before taking off and leaving him to die. Patel told officers that he had spotted someone outside his store on Wickham Road after there was an alert about a possible burglary.He didn’t inform law enforcement, but he started following the person. “He continues to follow him, doesn’t call law enforcement, doesn’t notify law enforcement that this is going on, and at some point runs into the bicyclist trying to stop him,” said Lt. Graig Erenstoft, a spokesperson for the West Melbourne Police Department.“During the investigation, detectives determined that Patel had intentionally struck the juvenile with his vehicle, left the scene, and returned to the store,” the department said. “Patel withheld this information from responding officers and did not disclose his involvement until confronted by detectives. As a result, the juvenile remained on the side of the roadway for nearly an hour without medical assistance due to Patel failing to stop to render aid or notify Law Enforcement.““It doesn’t matter what age they are. You can’t chase somebody down and hit them. You just can’t,” Robert Mandell, a criminal defense attorney who is not connected to the case told Wesh 2 News, commenting on the case. “That’s what [police are] there for. That’s what insurance is for. … You cannot take the law into your own hands and strike somebody with a deadly weapon … and just take matters into your own hands. The law doesn’t work that way.“Police have not confirmed whether Russey broke into Patel’s shop.