The Manatee County Jail confirmed the pickup truck driver suspected of hurting three children in a hit-and-crash was arrested early Thursday morning.
Billy Noel Catherwood, 63, is charged with driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a crash in connection with Wednesday's hit-and-run crash on Interstate 75.
Catherwood provided a breath sample of 0.15, according to a Florida Highway Patrol accident report.
Two of the passengers inside a 2004 Ford Explorer were thrown from the SUV, according to the FHP. Ashley Sandoval, 6, is in critical condition at Tampa General Hospital. Sahirys Sandoval, 8, is in serious condition at Tampa General Hospital.
Rodner Sandoval, 10, was not thrown from the Explorer, but is in serious condition at TGH.
The FHP accident report said 35-year-old Jesus Sandoval, the driver of the Explorer, had minor injuries.
Catherwood, who was driving a white Ford F-150 pickup truck, traveled southbound at a high speed around 8:26 p.m. Wednesday on I-75 near State Road 674, according to the FHP. The Explorer driven by Sandoval and with the three children as passengers was traveling in the same direction in the center lane ahead of the pickup.
The F-150 ran into the back of the Explorer, which overturned in the median. FHP troopers found the truck 13 miles away.
Authorities took Catherwood to the Manatee County Jail.
10News looked up Catherwood's record, which shows he had four prior DUI convictions -- two in Georgia and two in Florida.
For his fourth conviction, he was sentenced to 26 days in county jail, but got six days of credit time. He also had his license suspended for 12 months.
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