Jasmin Selby was driving to Cocoa Beach with a friend on a rural stretch of West Colonial Drive in Orange County, Florida, when she pulled her vehicle over to grab her phone — and another motorist crashed into her, leaving her for dead along State Road 50, according to authorities and her family.
Background
The incident occurred the morning of Aug. 17 near Christmas, Florida, a small community east of Orlando. Selby was approximately 45 minutes from Cocoa Beach, where she planned to watch the sunrise before a scheduled job interview later that morning, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser established by her father, Robert Selby.
She had activated her hazard lights and high beams while stopped on the highway when the crash happened, the fundraiser states. Selby's father said his daughter remembers nothing after that moment.
"The next thing she knows is waking up in the hospital screaming," Robert Selby told WOFL. "That's my child out there that they left in the middle of Highway 50, in the middle of nowhere."
The Investigation
Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the hit-and-run crash as a serious injury case, according to the regional Fox affiliate.
Selby's injuries were severe and life-altering. Her left leg was damaged beyond surgical repair and had to be amputated above the knee, her family stated. She also sustained severe fractures to her left thumb and hand requiring plates and screws, and underwent emergency abdominal surgery that left dozens of staples along her abdomen.
No one has been identified or arrested in connection with the crash as of Wednesday. Authorities have not released a description of the vehicle involved.
"He or she was able to just drive away and leave me for dead … who knows what could happen to the next person," Selby told WOFL, expressing concern about the unidentified driver potentially striking again.
Key Takeaways
- Jasmin Selby, 25, was seriously injured in an Aug. 17 hit-and-run crash on State Road 50 near Christmas, Florida while traveling to Cocoa Beach
- She had pulled over with hazard lights and high beams activated when another vehicle struck her, according to family and authorities
- Selby's left leg required amputation above the knee; she also suffered severe hand fractures and emergency abdominal surgery
- Florida Highway Patrol is investigating but has not identified a suspect or vehicle as of Wednesday
- The victim's family has established a GoFundMe to help cover medical expenses since Selby was between jobs and uninsured
What's Next
Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the crash and is asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Authorities have not indicated whether any arrests are imminent or when charges might be filed.
Selby faces an extensive recovery process including potential prosthetic fitting and rehabilitation, her family said.