Police in south Phoenix are searching for a hit-and-run driver after a man was struck and killed on Sunday night near 19th Street and Broadway Road. Officers found the pedestrian badly hurt and he was pronounced dead at the scene, while the driver fled and the road was closed for the investigation.
What officers say
According to Arizona's Family, officers responded just after 8 p.m. on Sunday and located a man with serious injuries who was later pronounced dead at the scene. The outlet reports the victim has not yet been identified. Detectives temporarily closed the roadway to collect evidence, and Arizona's Family also noted that the driver had taken off before officers got there.
Police seek driver
Investigators did not immediately release a vehicle description. However, ABC15 reported that evidence at the scene suggested a silver car may have been involved. That outlet also said witnesses told officers they had seen the victim in the roadway before the collision. Phoenix Police have not announced any arrests as the investigation continues.
Why this matters
Pedestrian crashes remain a serious issue in Arizona. Preliminary 2024 data from the Governors Highway Safety Association shows the state among those with the highest pedestrian fatality rates and notes that about one in four pedestrian deaths involves a hit-and-run. The GHSA analysis also found that a large share of fatalities occur at night and in areas without sidewalks, conditions that can make cases like this harder to solve and eyewitness accounts even more crucial.
How to help
Anyone with information about this crash is asked to contact the Phoenix Police Department's non-emergency line at 602-262-6151 or call Silent Witness at 480‑WITNESS (480‑948‑6377), per the City of Phoenix. Tips can also be submitted online through the Silent Witness tip form, where they will be routed to investigators.
Detectives say the case is active and are urging anyone who has dash-cam or surveillance video from the area around the time of the collision to come forward. Police have not yet released the victim's identity as the investigation moves ahead.
