DUNEDIN — "Murder." That's the only word Paul Radovanick could use.

"We cared for him and watched after him," said the San Jose Elementary School fifth-grader. "And they took that from us."

On Saturday about 3:20 a driver appeared to intentionally drive over an endangered gopher tortoise in the school parking lot.

In surveillance footage released by the Pinellas County Sheriff's office, the driver comes to a stop when the gopher tortoise starts to cross the road. As soon as the crawling animal crosses the path of the light blue Acura TSX, the driver moves forward again, bouncing over the tortoise and continues on through the parking lot.

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Radovanick, 10, said "Jose" was adored by everyone. Students were confused when they noticed only his friend Sandy, another gopher tortoise, on the first day of school on Monday and not him. Kids were always peering through windows trying to eye the two specimens.

"Even though our mascot is the hawks, Sandy and Jose are really our mascot," said Radovanick, who did a project on the animals in second grade.

The sheriff's office said they have several leads as to who the driver may have been.

Because the gopher tortoise is a threatened species and protected under state law, the penalty for intentionally killing or harassing it could result in a third-degree felony punishable with up to five years in prison. It could also have a fine of up to $5,000, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Radovanick, who said he could barely talk about Jose from being so upset, said he's not sure what he can do to help the search, but he's keeping his eyes peeled. He might start watching what color cars teachers are driving.

Kris Porter, director of Owls Nest Sanctuary for Wildlife, said she got a call from deputies about 10:30 p.m. seeking her help with the tortoise. They had just arrived on scene after someone found the tortoise badly injured.

When the 9-pound tortoise arrived at the sanctuary, staff evaluated him and administered pain medication to keep him comfortable. He died overnight. She estimates he was between 20-25 years old.

"I did the best that I could but I wasn't optimistic. His organs were imploded and you can't come back from that," Porter said.

Porter said it's common for turtles to get side-swiped accidentally by cars. Her and her 80 volunteers help patch over 75 turtles with damaged or cracked shells every year. But this? It was a direct hit that exploded the tortoise's organs. It was the worst injury she had ever seen.

With tortoise and turtle's lungs right on top and other important organs stacked below, a direct hit — which is what this gopher turtle experienced — is almost always fatal, Porter said.

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information to contact Sgt. Kristofer Wendel at (727) 582-6200.

Contact McKenna Oxenden at moxenden@tampabay.com or (410) 258-2324. Follow @mack_oxenden