Polk County, FL (August 16, 2020) - The Polk County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene of a hit-and-run pedestrian crash in Fort Meade on Saturday, August 15th. The incident took place just before 4:00 a.m. on U.S. 17 near Hammock Lake Drive. 

According to officials, a Hispanic man was walking in the area when he was struck by a vehicle. The man, who was wearing dark clothing at the time of the crash, was found lying in the roadway when rescue workers arrived at the scene. He received medical treatment for serious injuries but was later pronounced dead. His identity has not been released at this time.

The driver involved in the crash fled the scene before police could arrive and authorities are still searching for the suspect at this time. Based on initial reports, it is believed that the vehicle is possibly a commercial truck. No further description is available at this time.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Polk County Sheriff's Office. 

Hit-and-run accidents in Florida account for about 25% of all reported traffic crashes in our state. Last year, this number topped 105,000 as the total amount of hit-and-run accidents increased from the year before. Drivers who flee the scene of a crash typically do so knowing that they have caused serious injury or even death to the victim. In many cases, a Florida hit-and-run accident is caused by the actions of a negligent driver who will face responsibility once they are located.

Our most sincere condolences are with the victim's family after this fatal hit-and-run crash in Polk County. 

Rubenstein Law is dedicated to serving individuals & families injured by the negligence of others. We know first-hand the heartbreak that can be left behind after an accident. In our news blog, we write about cases of personal injury relevant to our line of work, and we report on news of judgments and appellate cases that affect the rights of personal injury claimants. We feel a responsibility to raise awareness of the injury and tragic loss of life occurring across our state every day.

Note: These posts are created using publicly available (secondary) sources, information has not been independently verified. If you see any information that should be corrected, please bring it to our attention and we will make adjustments. The photos depicted in these posts are not representative of the actual accident scene.