Police: West Melbourne store owner hit 14-year-old on e-bike with his car, left him by the road for nearly an hour

A West Melbourne store owner is being held without bond after police say he chased a 14-year-old on an e-bike whom he suspected of breaking into his store, hit him on purpose with his car and drove back to the store without telling officers. The boy lay injured by the road for nearly an hour before officers found him, police said.

Kavan Vishnubhai Patel, 32, owns the Corner Store at 1100 S. Wickham Road. He was arrested Tuesday, Oct. 13, and is charged with aggravated battery and leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury. Patel is presumed innocent; the allegations come from police statements and an arrest affidavit.

The boy was taken to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne in critical condition with multiple skull injuries, according to police and Florida Today. 321 Daily is not naming him because he is a minor.

What police say happened

Officers were sent to the store around 4:30 a.m. Tuesday for a reported burglary in progress and arrived within four minutes, police said. Patel told them an alert from his security company showed the store’s front glass door had been smashed. “He reported seeing a male wearing a light-colored hoodie leaving the area on an electric bicycle,” the police release said.

Officers from West Melbourne police, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office and Melbourne police searched the area. About 5:25 a.m., an officer found the teen lying unresponsive in a ditch, Florida Today reported. He appeared to have been struck by a vehicle, police said.

Investigators found video showing a vehicle matching Patel’s at the scene of the crash, Florida Today reported. When officers confronted him about it, Patel told them he had hit the teen and returned to his store without rendering aid.

“During the investigation, detectives determined that Patel had intentionally struck the juvenile with his vehicle, left the scene, and returned to the store,” police said. “Patel withheld this information from responding officers and did not disclose his involvement until confronted by detectives.” Because Patel did not stop, render aid or tell authorities, the boy remained by the roadside for nearly an hour, police said.

‘He was angry’

According to the arrest affidavit, as reported by FOX 35 Orlando, Patel admitted he followed the boy and hit his e-bike going roughly 30 mph, causing the teen to fall onto the road. He then turned around and went back to his business. Florida Today reported that Patel called police about the break-in but not about hitting the teen.

Investigators wrote that Patel “acknowledged that he knew he should have contacted law enforcement rather than striking the male with his vehicle” and that “he was angry at the time of the incident.”

Police have not said publicly whether the teen damaged the door, broke into the store or took anything.

What’s next

Patel was booked into the Brevard County Jail Complex Tuesday afternoon and is held without bond on both charges. Jail records list an initial court appearance for Wednesday, Oct. 14; its outcome had not been reported as of midday Wednesday.

• The teen’s case: Police have not said whether the teen will face charges. Any juvenile case would be handled confidentially.

• Patel’s attorney: It isn’t known whether Patel has a lawyer who could speak for him.

• Formal charges: The State Attorney’s Office for the 18th Judicial Circuit has not announced what it will file.

321 Daily will update this story with the court outcome and the teen’s condition.