WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 26-year-old West Palm Beach man is facing felony charges in the fatal hit-and-run crash of a man waiting for a tow truck in the city on Saturday morning.
Walter Diego Velazquez made his first court appearance Sunday morning and Judge Kathleen Kroll set bond at $30,000 on charges of killing a person with a vehicle, leaving the scene of a deadly accident and driving without a license. His next court date is 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 28.
On Monday, Florida Highway Patrol released the arrest report.
He was arrested Saturday morning, about 5 1/2 hours after the crash.
At 2:59 a.m., crews reported to a crash on Interstate 95 northbound, 0.8 miles north of Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard.
An unnamed 66-year-old man from Davie was standing on the outside paved shoulder of I-95 attending to his disabled vehicle, an Infinit SUV A tow truck driver said he was stopped behind the SUV.
A 2008 Honda Civic driven by Velazquez was approaching the pedestrian. The front of the vehicle hit the victim and came to a rest against a tree. The victim went onto the outside grass of northbound I-95.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue declared the man dead.
The suspect fled the scene on foot and investigators found the Honda a few feet from the tree with damage consistent with the collision, FHP said.
A trooper went to the suspect's residence and Velazquez confirmed he was driving the vehicle. He also had injuries consistent with being pressed with a seatbelt during a crash.
The suspect said his phone was dead and he was unable to call for help.