Fort Lauderdale police seek driver involved in fatal striking of man sleeping on street
FORT LAUDERDALE - Police are searching for the driver who fatally struck a 73-year-old man sleeping on the side of the road, the agency said Thursday.
The incident occurred in the 100 block of Northwest First Street in Fort Lauderdale at 2:06 a.m. Sunday.
In a preliminary investigation, a dark-colored Jeep Wrangler was parked along the street when a pedestrian laid on the ground in front of the vehicle, spokeswoman Casey Liening said.
Shortly later, three occupants in Halloween costumes returned to the vehicle, and when the driver pulled forward to exit the parking spot, the Wrangler drove over the man lying against the curb, she said.
In the video, the Wrangler slows and turns down its lights before driving off.
At approximately 6:25 a.m., a passerby found the pedestrian unresponsive and called 911.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead on scene by FLPD. He has been identified as Esperant Lahens.
People at a convenience store next to the scene said the victim was homeless and would stay use the curbs as a pillow.
"This driver was involved in a traffic fatality," Liening told CBS News Miami. "We don't believe the driver even knew that they hit a pedestrian. So at this point we're not investigating a crime. We just need to identify the driver for the purpose of this case so we can bring closure to the family as well."
Anyone who can identify the vehicle or the driver should contact Traffic Homicide Investigator Russell Brown at 954-828-5754 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477).
