Police are searching for the driver of a car who hit a pedestrian in a wheelchair crossing the street in a crosswalk before driving off on Wednesday night in St. Pete.
Just after 10:08 p.m., an unknown vehicle was traveling southbound in the 1300 block of 34th Street North. A man in a wheelchair was crossing 34th Street North in the north crosswalk at the intersection of 13th Avenue North. The southbound traffic light for 34th Street was red when the pedestrian began crossing westbound in the crosswalk, but the southbound light turned green as the pedestrian reached the southbound lanes of 34th Street North.
The unknown vehicle failed to yield to the pedestrian and struck the man, throwing him from his wheelchair and onto the roadway. The vehicle then drove off before police arrived.
The pedestrian was transported to Bayfront Health St. Petersburg Hospital with life-threatening injuries. The unknown vehicle is described as a four-door sedan, possibly silver in color, and should have front end damage.
The pedestrian's name is not available for release at this time as police work to locate the next-of-kin.
