Driver turns himself in after suburban Lockport father killed in hit-and-run in Florida

Leah Hope Image
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Suburban Lockport man killed in hit-and-run while biking in Tampa, Florida
A man from southwest suburban Lockport was killed in a hit-and-run Tuesday morning in Tampa, Florida, police said.

LOCKPORT, Ill. (WLS) -- A man from southwest suburban Lockport was killed in a hit-and-run Tuesday morning in Tampa, Florida, police said.

Jacob Weinert, 28, was riding his bike along a major roadway in Tampa when he was hit by a two-door white pickup truck, according to police.

Weinert grew up in Lockport and left for Tampa to find better job opportunities.

He just was three weeks away from bringing his fiancée, Izabel Sgiers, and two children to Florida. Their one-year-old son, Jasper, and newborn daughter, Sapphire, will never know their father.

"She'll never get to know her dad," Sgiers said. "She'll never get to hear his stories and it sucks because he wanted a daughter so badly."

Sgiers was to marry Weinert in the spring. They planned to raise their young children in Florida.

"He met Izi and he had his children and he was trying to envision the best life for them and give that to them," said Jennifer Gustasfon, Weinert's sister.

Florida Highway Patrol initially reported the incident as a hit and run. But there was an update in the case Wednesday.

Steve Baker turned himself in, telling police he thought he hit something Tuesday morning but that he didn't know what. Baker said he later did some repairs on his damaged truck.

"I feel like the person is taking some culpability, but they're lying about the circumstances," said Weinert's brother, James Weinert. "You think you hit an animal and you don't stop and you spray paint your truck. That's ridiculous."

Weinert's family is torn apart, saying he was a wonderful son, father and a hard worker.

"He'll never be able to bring back my kids dad," Sgiers said. "You just ruined it. We had this whole future and now it's gone."