Florida mom killed after driver allegedly drags body in windshield for blocks before liquor-store arrest

A 22-year-old man was jailed on multiple charges after authorities say he struck 38-year-old Kjersten Aileen-Hermance Strang as she rode an electric bike in St. Petersburg, then drove for about eight blocks with her body wedged in the windshield of his car before police arrested him at a nearby liquor store.

The crash happened Saturday in St. Petersburg when Xavier Omar Rigby, driving a 2021 Nissan Altima at a high rate of speed, struck Strang in the curbside bike lane, sending her into the vehicle’s windshield, according to authorities. The impact knocked Strang from the bike, and witnesses reported she remained attached to the car for several blocks before her body dislodged and fell to the road, police said. Strang was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rigby was located a short time later at a liquor store about a mile from the crash scene, authorities said, and officers reported he showed signs of impairment. Police said they smelled alcohol on his breath, his eyes were bloodshot and he was slurring his words. He refused a field sobriety test and was arrested on the scene.

The defendant faces multiple charges, including leaving the scene of a crash involving death, vehicular homicide leaving the scene, and DUI manslaughter. During his first court appearance Monday, Judge Elizabeth Zuroweste criticized his criminal history, noting a prior incident in 2022 involving leading the scene of a crash with property damage and remarking that in 2024 the state reduced a DUI to a reckless driving charge. For purposes of bond, the judge said, it remains a DUI.

Zuroweste set Rigby’s bond at $750,000 for the DUI manslaughter count, but ordered no bond on the vehicular homicide and leaving-the-scene charges, citing concerns that he is a danger to the community. Additional charges include driving on the wrong side of a divided highway and an open-container violation, according to local reports.

The court records show Rigby has a history of speeding more than 30 mph over the limit and a prior DUI that required attendance at DUI school and a MADD victim-impact panel. Strang, described by loved ones as a dedicated single mother, was mourned by family and friends who set up a GoFundMe to support her young son and other relatives. In remembrances shared with Fox 13, Strang was described as an “angel” who cared deeply about her community.

Officials say the investigation remains active as investigators review surveillance footage, call witnesses and corroborate the timeline of events that led to the crash. The case has drawn regional attention in Florida and beyond, highlighting concerns about impaired driving and the dangers faced by cyclists and pedestrians on city streets.