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A good Samaritan was killed in a traffic accident while helping another pilot on Interstate 275 in Florida. The Florida Highway Patrol stated that the driver then took off in the victim's vehicle.
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Dana Thomas Byrd, 30, hit Dhimitri Andoni's car last week in Florida. Then stole Andoni's car, leaving his truck behind him. Andoni's body was found on Friday.(Photo: Florida Highway Patrol)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – A good Samaritan was killed in a An accident occurred while running another driver Thursday night along a Florida highway, but his body was only found about 15 hours later.

The Florida Highway Patrol stated that the driver then took off in the victim's vehicle.

Shortly after 9:00 pm, Dhimitri Andoni, 22, was heading north on I-275 when he spotted a vehicle that had lost control and found itself in the median. Andoni stopped to help the other driver, but the other vehicle left the scene.

As Andoni returned to his car, he was hit by a van driven by Dana Thomas Byrd, 30, according to the FHP.

Byrd stopped, got out of the van and saw that Andoni was dead, the soldiers said. He then boarded Andoni's vehicle and reportedly fled the scene.

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Byrd went to a nearby company and abandoned the Andoni vehicle, the soldiers said.

Andoni's father was able to locate the vehicle using GPS and contacted the police about his missing son.

Around 12:30 pm On Friday, a FDOT Ranger Road found the abandoned Byrd truck and then discovered Andoni's body.

FHP said Byrd was arrested Friday night at his home. He faces charges of auto theft and the exit of an accident involving death.

According to the records of Pinellas County Jail, Byrd has been arrested several times since 2005, including for impaired driving, domestic battery, small theft and child negligence.

The soldiers want to talk to the driver of the vehicle that Andoni stopped to help as part of their investigation.

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