A Philadelphia police officer has been placed on administrative duty after investigators said the officer left a 48-year-old man lying in the roadway shortly before the man was struck and killed by a vehicle in an apparent hit-and-run.
The incident happened early Thursday, Aug. 27, on the 5500 block of Rising Sun Avenue in Philadelphia’s Olney neighborhood.
According to First Deputy Commissioner John M. Stanford, surveillance footage shows the man walking in the bike lane with an unsteady gait at about 1:40 a.m. A 35th District officer driving through the area stopped and spoke with him.
During the interaction, the man fell to the ground. He remained partly in the bike lane and partly in a traffic lane, according to police.
The officer pulled the patrol vehicle in front of the man and got out to speak with him. Police said the officer then returned to the vehicle and drove away while the man was still on the roadway.
Man struck after officer leaves scene
Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators shows another person approaching the man after the officer left.
A vehicle later stopped near the area, apparently creating an obstacle for traffic. Police said a second vehicle then went around that car, entered the bike lane and struck the man.
The driver did not stop and continued east on Tabor Road, according to the Philadelphia Police Department.
Two people eventually moved the injured man out of the roadway and called 911. Medics took him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 6:15 a.m., according to police.
Police have not publicly released the victim’s name.
Police identify vehicle wanted in fatal crash
The Philadelphia Police Department is searching for a 2023-2026 Kia Sportage X-Line in Jungle Green believed to be involved in the fatal hit-and-run.
Police said the vehicle was last seen traveling east on Tabor Road from Rising Sun Avenue at about 1:46 a.m. The department’s latest alert also describes the vehicle as having black-and-chrome rims.
Anyone who may have information about the vehicle or driver is being asked to contact Philadelphia police at 215-686-TIPS (8477). Police said tips can also be submitted anonymously and will be kept confidential.
Investigation into officer’s conduct underway
The officer who initially encountered the man was also the first officer to return to the scene after the collision, Stanford said.
Police said the officer did not provide medical assistance, establish the scene or begin a report or investigation after the man was struck. The officer’s name has not been released.
The officer has about two years of experience with the department and is assigned to the 35th District, according to Stanford.
The department is conducting an internal investigation into the officer’s actions, while the fatal hit-and-run investigation remains active.
Stanford described the officer’s conduct as deeply troubling and said it did not reflect the department’s expectations regarding empathy and compassion.
Police are continuing to review surveillance footage and investigate both the crash and the officer’s actions before and after the collision.
The driver involved in the fatal crash remains unidentified.
