BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating a hit-and-run crash that left a child dead and two others seriously injured.
The crash was reported just before 12:30 a.m. Wednesday in the northbound lanes of Florida’s Turnpike, about 350 feet north of Griffin Road.
According to authorities, a black 2015 Volkswagen Passat was stopped on the inside travel lane for unknown reasons and had no lights on.
Troopers said a blue 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE was heading north on the Turnpike, approaching the Griffin Road overpass and rear-ended the Passat.
Troopers said the impact caused the Passat to spin clockwise across the center and outside travel lanes, strike a guardrail and come to a final rest on the outside shoulder, facing a southwesterly direction.
The Mercedes came to a stop facing a northerly direction, straddling the inside shoulder and inside lane, authorities said.
According to an FHP news release, the driver of the Mercedes left the scene, reportedly carrying a baby who was in the backseat.
The driver was described by troopers as a Black man between the ages of 20 to 25, who is about 5 feet, 5 inches tall.
The 37-year-old woman who was driving the Passat and a man who was sitting in the front passenger seat were both taken by Davie Fire Rescue to Broward Health Medical Center with incapacitating injuries.
A boy who was sitting in the backseat of the Passat was pronounced dead at the scene by Hollywood Fire Rescue personnel.
Her age and identity have not yet been released.
All northbound lanes were initially blocked in the area after the crash, but all lanes have since reopened.
Anyone with further information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.