Driver said he didn't stop after hitting man. He was worried about his insurance rates

Michel Vernet confessed to hitting Auguste Friznel on Sunday night at a North Miami-Dade intersection and continuing on in his Toyota Rav4 without stopping, Miami-Dade police say.

Friznel was pronounced dead at Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center. Vernet has been arrested on a charge of leaving the scene of a crash involving death, a first degree felony. His bond was set at $10,000. If he posts, he's not allowed to drive.

Then again, Vernet has a history of driving without permission to do so.

Vernet's arrest report says he surrendered himself at Miami-Dade police's Northside Station, 22 blocks down Northwest Seventh Avenue from the 103rd Street intersection where Friznel was hit around 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Vernet, 59, admits to continuing south on Northwest Seventh Avenue, not stopping, going back, dialing 911 or doing anything to help the 51-year-old father of two.

His reason for continuing south on Seventh Avenue, the arrest report says: He was scared and worried his car insurance would rise.

Two tickets for lacking proof of insurance are among the 13 traffic convictions on Vernet's Miami-Dade driving record. All convictions and the $3,199 in fines paid were from 2001 through 2013. Vernet got caught three times knowingly driving with a suspended license, once unknowingly. There are two speeding tickets and two seat belt violations, also.

This story was originally published April 20, 2018 at 11:52 AM with the headline "Driver said he didn't stop after hitting man. He was worried about his insurance rates."