‘My hair got caught in a tire and ripped my hair and scalp off:’ Hit-and-run victim says she needed 50 stiches

Hit-and-run in Tavares is still unsolved

TAVARES, Fla. – Lexi Griffith doesn’t remember much of what happened the night of April 24, the day she was struck in a hit-and-run crash.

“I don’t remember anything, I remember waking up in the hospital hearing plastic surgeon consult needed,” Griffith said.

The 24-year-old Lake County woman was at the Dog House Bar in Tavares with friends before the life-changing incident. The night should have ended with a ride home.

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Instead, it would be days in the hospital, 50 stitches, a blur of exams and operations to put her head back together before she returned home.

Griffith was airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center as onlookers nearby questioned how she could possibly survive.

“My hair got caught in a tire and ripped my hair and scalp off so when I looked in the reflection of the TV, I was missing a piece of my scalp,” Griffith said.

The only thing more traumatic than her injuries is the fact that she doesn’t know who was driving the vehicle Tavares police said struck her on Ruby Street and never looked back.

“‘Did you do it on purpose?’ Did you do it on accident?’ If it was an accident just come forward and tell me what happened you know,” Griffith said.

While already dealing with one hardship, Griffith said she was hit with another when she was involved in a car accident just days after she was discharged from the hospital.

“I was hysterically crying calling 911 ‘Just got ran over last week’, I have stitches in my head, I just got t-boned,” Griffith said.

Meantime she said she is still burdened with anxiety and frustration and keeps one eye behind her because the case is unsolved.

“I would really like to not live in fear, I have nightmares about it, I go to the store, and what if they are walking down Publix aisle there the ones that hit me.”

Tavares Police Department is investigating this case along with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The suspect vehicle has been identified as a black four-door sedan. Anyone with information is urged to call CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS.


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