Bicyclist Injured in Truck Hit-and-run on Citrus Boulevard in Martin County, FL
Palm City, FL -- January 19, 2023, a bicyclist was injured due to an accident involving a box truck that left the scene.
Martin County officials said that the crash happened at around 3:30 p.m. in the Palm City area along SW Citrus Boulevard.
The exact circumstances surrounding the accident are unclear at this time, but investigators said that a box truck described as yellow and a possible rental truck hit a bicyclist with its side mirror. It appears witnesses saw the driver look back but then leave the scene. The cyclist had multiple injuries, according to reports.
As of January 23, the box truck driver alleged to be involved has been located, and police arrested the accused driver for felony hit-and-run with injury and operating on a suspended driver's license with knowledge. No further information can be confirmed at this time.
In some reports, there are clear images of the truck which authorities allege to have been involved in the accident. Not only that, but I've seen at least one report claim that the truck driver involved here has been involved in multiple hit-and-runs. If that's true, and if it's true they were knowingly driving on a suspended license, this could be a lot more complex than just putting a driver in front of a judge.
When it comes to commercial vehicle accidents, it's important folks understand that there is often a driver and a company whose mistakes must be addressed. If, for example, there is a truck driver that gets into multiple accidents due to reckless driving, yet their employer doesn't do anything to correct the behavior or otherwise take that reckless driver off the road, they're responsible for a resulting accident. As an employer, I have a responsibility to ensure that my employees are not a danger to themselves or the public. A company allowing a negligent driver to continue operating multi-ton equipment is like putting a time bomb on the road.
It's possible that this was somehow unpredictable or that the driver and the employer are one in the same. But until there is clear evidence for the victim and their loved ones about who is responsible for all of this, investigations should persist.
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