A Lake Worth man is behind bars this week, accused of taking off after a crash that killed a bicyclist on Lake Worth Road. Investigators identified the victim as 43-year-old Athanasia Theodoropoulos of Greenacres and say the collision happened in the early-morning hours on Sept. 3, 2025. According to deputies, surveillance footage and automated license-plate hits pointed them toward the sport-utility vehicle they believe was involved.
According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office probable cause affidavit, Jenner Arturo Morales‑Galvez is accused of leaving the scene of a crash involving death in the 2500 block of Lake Worth Road. Deputies say they found Theodoropoulos dead at the scene around 12:40 a.m. The affidavit notes she was riding a black mountain bicycle without front or rear lights and was wearing non-reflective clothing and no helmet. Detectives say they identified a black 2005 Ford Explorer Sport Trac through license-plate reader data and later tracked the vehicle to a West Palm Beach salvage yard, as reported by CBS12.
How Detectives Followed the Clues
Surveillance video from a nearby building reportedly shows Theodoropoulos walking her bicycle westbound, then standing in the inside westbound lane before the Explorer struck and ran over her. Investigators say the vehicle slowed briefly but kept heading west. After months of searching, local reporting said investigators recovered the 2005 Explorer with front-end damage on Jan. 8, 2026, and had identified a driver tied to the vehicle. That earlier coverage noted that the probe leaned heavily on physical evidence and automated plate reads as detectives built their timeline, per BocaNewsNow.
What the Suspect Told Detectives
In interviews, investigators say Morales‑Galvez told them he “felt an impact,” slowed down and looked back but did not see anything in the roadway, then drove home. He later noticed damage to the vehicle, according to the affidavit. Another relative told detectives Morales‑Galvez called the night of the crash and said he had been in an accident and left the scene. Investigators say they found probable cause to charge him with leaving the scene of a crash involving death, as reported by CBS12.
Legal Stakes
Under Florida law, willfully leaving the scene of a crash that results in death is treated as a serious felony. The statute classifies a leave-the-scene crash causing death as a first-degree felony with a mandatory minimum four-year prison term, and it also carries license revocation and restitution requirements. Lesser felony levels apply if a crash causes only injury, and the statute spells out sentencing, restitution and reinstatement rules for driving privileges, per the Florida statutes (316.027).
Investigators say the case remains under active review, and PBSO did not immediately release additional public comment about charges or booking status. Detectives have asked anyone with information to contact the sheriff’s office as the investigation continues.
