David Jolly Was Driver in Car Crash that Killed Pedestrian

Congressional hopeful David Jolly made headlines Tuesday morning when a story surfaced about an accident he was involved in as a teenager.

Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reported the news on Tuesday. Jolly, whose name was misspelled as "Jolley" in the original story, was not charged for the man's death.

The original story read:

Man walking along road is hit and killed (June 11, 1989)

SECTION: PASCO TIMES; TIMES DIGEST; Pg. 1

LENGTH: 151 words

DATELINE: LAND O'LAKES

LAND O'LAKES A 30-year-old Zephyrhills man was killed Friday night[June 9, 1989]when a car struck him as he was walking down County Road 581, three miles south of State Road 54, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Blair W. Ropes, 540 Elaine Drive in Zephyrhills, was walking on the right side of the road with the flow of northbound traffic when he was struck. Ropes was thrown 147 feet and was pronounced dead on the scene, the report said. David Wilson Jolley, 16, of 406 W Meridian Ave. in Dade City was driving his car northbound when he hit Ropes, the report said. The accident occurred about 9:30 p.m. on the two-lane blacktop road. According to the report, Ropes was wearing dark clothing. The report said Jolley didn't see Ropes. No charges were filed. The death was the 25th traffic fatality in Pasco County this year.

According to Smith, Jolly's cousin and spokeswomanSarah Bascom confirmed that the former aide to the late Bill Young had killed a man in a car accident.

"It took several years for me to get to a place of peace, but not something anybody would ever get over," Jolly told 10News Reporter Preston Rudie on Monday."I don't know who has pushed this story, but I believe it to be a heartless individual who has clearly never lost anyone close to them or experienced such a tragedy." See the 10News story here.

Jolly is expected to face off against former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink in the special election to replace the late Bill Young on March 11.