Following a hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian along Allegheny Avenue on Sept. 12, Philadelphia police are seeking a man whom they believe to be responsible. The man, described only as wearing a white T-shirt and black pants, was driving a rented sport utility vehicle at the time of the northern Philadelphia accident, which took place at around 12 a.m. near 25th Street.
Authorities reported that the man's black Honda CR-V was speeding and traveling west on Allegheny when it hit a pedestrian attempting to cross the intersection. The pedestrian, a 62-year-old Philadelphia man, flew into the air after the impact and landed on a 2015 GMC Terrain before coming to rest on the road. The GMC's driver came to the man's aid, but he died shortly after the collision.
Authorities reported that the Honda continued westward until turning left on the 3100 block of N. Bambrey Street. The driver proceeded on foot after leaving the SUV parked on a sidewalk on Bambrey.
Before the crash occurred, an officer allegedly saw the Honda SUV blow through traffic signals and speed. Though the officer made a U-turn to follow the vehicle, the accident happened before an intervention was possible.
Pedestrians are often involved in preventable crashes, and their families may be left shaken and confused after these events turn fatal. When a pedestrian accident could have been avoided by a driver using more care, the deceased pedestrian's family may be able to file a wrongful death suit to seek compensation for losses related to the accident.
In a case like this, a statement from the officer who witnessed the driver's behavior could be useful in court. An attorney might be able to use the officer's statement in a hypothetical wrongful death claim with an accident report or findings from crash reconstruction techniques that show that the rental driver caused an accident that would not have happened otherwise.