Charges not filed for man accused of hitting pedestrian with vehicle

The man who police said hit someone with his vehicle after being distracted on the road is no longer facing any charges.

Tuesday in Yuma County Justice Court a judge said 30-year-old Skyler Smith is no longer facing any charges because the county attorney requested more evidence to file the charges he was booked on.

Family members spoke in court saying the victim is still in critical condition.

“He called me and said,” the victim’s cousin said. “Cousin, I don’t think I’m going to walk anymore because I can’t feel my feet.”

Yuma Police Department officers arrested Smith after being involved in a vehicle-pedestrian collision in the 2300 block of Virginia Drive.

Police said Smith became distracted by his cell phone and veered off the road, hitting a 20-year-old man who was walking the sidewalk east of South Virginia Drive.

“Driver was on his phone and veered basically to the left,” Sgt. Lori Franklin with Yuma Police Department said. “And struck a pedestrian that was walking northbound on the sidewalk.”

Smith was booked on multiple charges that included endangerment, aggravated DUI, driving with a suspended license, and reckless driving.

YPD said they still are waiting on blood test results to confirm if Smith was under the influence. Those results could take about three months to come in.

“There’s no phone call, text message, that’s worth your life,” Sgt. Franklin said. “[Or] another person’s life. If you take someone else’s life, that’s something you’re going to have to live with.”