Young Teen Killed After Hit-and-Run Crash in Cantonment, Florida (FL)
CANTONMENT, FL- Wkrg.com writes that a teenage boy died this week after being run over by a car in the evening in Escambia County. The thirteen-year-old victim and a twelve-year-old girl were walking in their Cantonment neighborhood when a Ford Escape struck them on Quintette Road.*
Police report that the driver, now identified as a 58-year-old man, then fled the scene of the crash. The two children were both severely injured, but the boy reportedly did not survive. The family stated that they donated the victim’s organs after deciding to remove him from life support. The other victim is receiving treatment at the Sacred Heart Hospital. The driver is now facing charges for fleeing the scene of a crash. He was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $30,000 bond.
According to the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), the amount of hit-and-run crashes in the state has stayed fairly steady, with about one-quarter of all traffic incidents involving a fleeing driver. While most of these only lead to property damage, some are fatal.
In 2014, penalties were increased for hit-and-runs resulting in death. The mandatory minimum sentence is now four years when a driver flees the scene of a deadly collision.
Since 2015, the FLHSMV reports that there have been more than 1,000 deaths resulting from hit-and-run drivers. The majority of deadly hit-and-run incidents occur at night. In 2019, more than 80 percent of the 206 hit-and-run deaths occurred during dusk, dawn, or at night.
Not only is it illegal to flee the scene of a crash, but it also places a greater risk on the victims. According to the FLHSMV, staying at the scene is not just about abiding the law, remaining at the site and contacting emergency services could save the victim’s life.
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Sources:
https://www.wkrg.com/northwest-florida/13-year-old-boy-passes-away-after-hit-and-run-in-cantonment/
https://www.flhsmv.gov/safety-center/driving-safety/hitrun/