INVESTIGATES: Family says ‘no human decency’ shown during 911 call made after grandfather was hit

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — 59-year-old Darryl Lindsey was struck and killed by someone driving a Dodge Challenger on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway at Wilson Street on Aug. 26. The investigation into his death is ongoing.

For two months, Action News Jax has been working to get the 911 calls associated with his death. After the station’s attorney got involved, reporter Meghan Moriarty was able to play the calls for the Lindsey family.

RELATED STORY: 911 calls reveal what happened after Jacksonville father was struck by car, left on side of road

“There was no human decency on the dispatcher or on his (the driver’s) end,” said April Lindsey, the victim’s second-oldest daughter. “Somebody should’ve went out there.”

INVESTIGATES: Family reacts to 911 call made after man was hit & killed

The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. The driver called 911 when he reached his home.

“Well, I’m actually at home,” the call began. “But, my car is tore up really, really bad. I just want to report it, but I don’t know what I hit.”

“You should have sent the police,” Sha’dara Lindsey, the victim’s eldest daughter, said upon hearing the recording of the call.

The dispatcher then asked the driver if he saw “any blood or fur on your car to suggest that it was an animal.”

“I don’t know,” the driver said. “I see fur and blood, so I’m thinking it may have been an animal.”

The next day, a truck driver noticed a body on the side of MLK Parkway and called police.

Florida Highway Patrol and Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department were dispatched. The fire department pronounced Lindsey dead on the scene. His family said he was walking home from church, something he did regularly.

FHP announced on social media that it was investigating the death as a hit-and-run. The driver who called the night before contacted police again.

Moriarty requested both of the driver’s 911 calls and was denied twice. The sheriff’s office said it was not public record.

Action News Jax’s attorney was able to obtain those 911 calls. You can listen to it below:

LISTEN TO THE FULL FIRST CALL BELOW:

Full audio: First 911 call made by driver who fatally struck Jacksonville grandfather In the first call, the man said he believes he hit something. He sounds very frazzled but clearly said that his car was banged up and had blood and hair on it.

LISTEN TO THE SECOND 911 CALL BELOW:

Audio: Second 911 call made by driver who fatally struck Jacksonville grandfather In the second call, the driver can be heard saying that he called 911 the night before.

Moriarty contacted the driver to hear his side of the story. He said he doesn’t want to say anything until the investigation is complete.

After listening to the calls, Moriarty contacted JSO again. The agency sent her this statement:

“As this incident is currently under an administrative review, I am unable to respond to specific questions related to it.”

The questions the spokesperson are referring to are these:

• Do you believe the initial 911 call was handled appropriately?
• Was the dispatcher in the call too quick to dismiss the possibility that a person was hit?
• Did the dispatcher dismiss or skip a key question she was supposed to ask?

Moriarty was told the dispatcher will remain on the job during the internal investigation.

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