CASSELBERRY, Fla. \u2013 A Winter Park High School teacher has been arrested months after a hit-and-run was reported in Casselberry, according to the police department.<\/p>\n
In an affidavit, police said that the incident was first reported on Dec. 11 along Parkside Court, where the victim\u2019s mother claimed his back had been broken after being struck.<\/p>\n
But later that day, the teacher \u2014 identified as Benjamin Hendricks Fottler, 49 \u2014 called in, as well, police added.<\/p>\n
[BELOW: Grandmother seeks justice after teen struck, killed in Orlando]<\/p>\n
\u201c(Fottler) reported he may have struck a pole earlier that morning but was uncertain,\u201d the affidavit reads. \u201cOfficer Munn believed the incident could be related to this case.\u201d<\/p>\n
Investigators said they met with Fottler, who claimed he was headed to work early on Dec. 12, but when making a left turn at the intersection of Casselton Drive and State Road 436, he struck what he thought was a traffic sign in the center median.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe reported that the impact caused damage to the passenger-side mirror of his vehicle,\u201d the affidavit continues. \u201cFottler further stated that his child was seated in the back seat at the time of the incident and that he did not stop to verify what he struck.\u201d<\/p>\n
[BELOW: DUI arrest after driver ran from Seminole County crash that injured motorcyclist]<\/p>\n
Afterward, Fottler told police, he dropped his daughter off at daycare.<\/p>\n
While Fottler was initially cited in error, he was eventually arrested on Tuesday on a charge of leaving the scene of a crash without rendering aid, court records reveal. He has since been released on bond.<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for Orange County Public Schools confirmed that Fottler is a teacher at Winter Park High School, though the incident is unrelated to the school.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, News 6 identified the victim as 16-year-old Landon Cates.<\/p>\n
He told News 6 that the crash left him with a broken back and lingering pain that has made everyday activities difficult.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe did hit me. I assumed he noticed and sped away,\u201d Cates said.<\/p>\n
Months later, Cates said he is still dealing with the effects of the crash.<\/p>\n
\u201cEver since then, I\u2019ve been stuck at home,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s been hard to do schoolwork. My back hurts. My arms do this weird thing where they lock in place, and I start shaking really bad.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI would think since he has a daughter that he is a caring father,\u201d Cates added. \u201cHow would you feel if your daughter got hit out of nowhere? Wouldn\u2019t you be upset?\u201d<\/p>\n
Cates\u2019 mother, Callista Cates, said she is concerned about her son returning to school with Fottler still working there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve called the school plenty of times and said, \u2018Hey, this is what happened to my kid. This is why he\u2019s not there. It was a teacher at the school,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cAnd they\u2019re just like, \u2018OK, I don\u2019t know what to do with that.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
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