Philadelphia officer under investigation after allegedly leaving man in street before deadly hit-and-run
Philadelphia police are investigating an officer accused of failing to assist a man who was lying in the roadway before he was struck and killed by a vehicle in Philadelphia's Olney neighborhood.
The 48-year-old man was struck around 1:45 a.m. Thursday on the 5500 block of Rising Sun Avenue. Police officials did not learn about the crash until later that morning, when the medical examiner's office contacted them seeking additional information.
Surveillance footage shows the man walking with an unsteady gait in the bike lane before falling into the roadway. An officer driving through the area stopped and spoke with him after he fell. The officer positioned the police vehicle in front of the man, got out and approached him, then returned to the vehicle and drove away while the man remained partially in the bike lane and partially in the traffic lane.
A civilian briefly appeared to speak with the man before leaving. Shortly afterward, one vehicle stopped, apparently to avoid him, while a second vehicle continued through the area, entered the bike lane, and struck him.
The vehicle involved was identified as a green 2023-26 Kia Sportage. The driver fled eastbound on Tabor Avenue after the crash, and police are seeking information that could help identify the driver and locate the vehicle.
Two witnesses eventually moved the victim out of the roadway and called 911. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The officer who had previously encountered the man was also the first officer to respond after the crash. Police said he failed to secure the scene, initiate a report or investigation, or provide medical assistance. He has since been placed on administrative duty.
The officer, who had two years of experience and was assigned to the 35th District, has not been publicly identified.
Police described the circumstances as deeply troubling, saying the officer's actions appeared inconsistent with expectations of empathy and compassion.
Investigators are conducting both a criminal investigation into the fatal hit-and-run and an internal investigation into the officer's conduct.
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