A West Palm Beach police officer is on the mend after a hit-and-run incident that occurred last Friday night along Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, according to local authorities. As the officer was entering his patrol car, reportedly with emergency lights activated amid a response to a different accident, a white SUV slammed into the vehicle, causing the officer to be ejected onto the pavement.
The encounter took place near 1900 Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard, west of I-95, around 8:30 p.m. The aftermath of the collision was a quick escape by the driver of what is believed to be a 2022-2024 white Hyundai Tucson, who reversed and bolted northbound on I-95. The officer, sustaining minor injuries, was subsequently taken to a local hospital for treatment, WPBF reported.
The West Palm Beach Police Department continues to investigate the hit-and-run, which has stirred concerns over a disturbing trend of similar incidents in the state. "I've seen a personal increase in hit-and-runs, especially with bicyclists, pedestrians, and people on scooters. Statistics show that 25% of all accidents in Florida are hit-and-runs, which is a very high number," Devon Workman, a South Florida personal injury attorney, told CBS12 News.
In an effort to address these issues, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) has initiated the Stay at the Scene campaign to underscore the gravity of leaving the site of an accident. In Florida, fleeing the scene of a crash involving injury is considered a second- to third-degree felony, and attorney Workman added, "It’s actually a higher penalty for leaving when you cause property damage or injury. It becomes a criminal offense versus a traffic citation. If you cause an accident, it’s a mistake. Stay at the scene, care about the people involved, and don’t make it worse for yourself or others," in his statement to CBS12 News.
For those with any information related to the hit-and-run, the West Palm Beach Police Department is urging individuals to come forward to assist in bringing the perpetrator to justice.
