A Florida high school teacher is facing serious accusations after police say he struck a teenage student with his car and then drove away from the scene.
Authorities say the incident happened on December 11, 2025, near the intersection of Casselton Drive and State Road 436 in Winter Park. According to local reports, 49-year-old Benjamin Fottler, a teacher at Winter Park High School, allegedly hit 15-year-old Landon Cates while the teen was riding his scooter.
More than three months later, Fottler was arrested on March 10 and charged with felony hit-and-run. Court records show he was later released from jail on a $20,000 bond.
According to investigators, Fottler contacted police shortly after the crash but claimed he believed he had only hit a traffic sign.
In audio obtained by local outlet WFTV, the teacher reportedly told authorities he thought he had struck a sign in the median that damaged his side mirror before continuing on his way.
“My wife just got home from work; she travels the same way that I do,” he allegedly said. “She left maybe 20 minutes after me and said that when she was making that turn, there was an ambulance there and somebody had gotten hit.”
Orange County Public Schools confirmed that Fottler has not been placed on leave while the investigation continues, noting that the crash happened while he was off duty.
Meanwhile, the teen involved in the crash says the injuries have taken a serious toll.
Cates suffered scratches, bruises and a fractured vertebra in his back during the collision.
“At first I didn’t know my back was broken,” the teen told Fox 35. “I thought I was fine. That was the adrenaline talking. But once that wore off, it hurt really bad.”
Cates said a nearby witness rushed over to help him immediately after the crash and told him the driver had sped off.
“She was like, ‘Oh my God, the guy who hit you just sped off like pedal to the metal,’” the teen recalled.
Because of the back injury, Cates says he’s now unable to run, bend or twist easily, forcing him to miss out on opportunities he had planned for school.
“If my back wasn’t broken, I could have done this program where I spend half my time at school and half at a trade school,” he explained.
His mother has also shared updates through a GoFundMe page, saying the family has spent months dealing with doctor visits, consultations and discussions about possible surgery.
Now recovering from the ordeal, Cates is urging others to stay alert on the road.
“Keep your eyes out for reckless drivers,” he said. “There are so many accidents, drunk driving, negligence — so much.”