WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 37-year-old West Palm Beach man was sentenced to prison time followed by years of probation for a crash that killed a 43-year-old pedestrian.
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said Richard Paul Kline III was driving a Ford Explorer along Okeechobee Boulevard at around 5:13 p.m. on Dec. 12, 2022.
Kline was traveling eastbound on Okeechobee Boulevard, just west of Indian Road, when the 43-year-old pedestrian tried to cross, mid-block, on the 4000 block of Okeechobee Boulevard, when Kline hit the pedestrian, PBSO said. The victim's name is not being released due to Marsy's law.
PBSO said Kline left the scene of the crash and the 43-year-old man was pronounced dead by Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.
Through investigative leads, on Dec. 13, 2022, PBSO identified Kline and located the car used in the crash, which had repairs made, and identifying marks removed.
On Feb. 22, Kline plead guilty to leaving the scene of crash involving death, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and driving while driver's license canceled, suspended or revoked.
He was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by three years of probation, in addition to three-year driver's license revocation, and eight hour defensive driving.