A hit-and-run incident took place near the White House in Washington, D.C. The fatal collision has left a 75-year-old man dead after being hit by a car. At the time of the hit-and-run, the driver was attempting to evade U.S. Secret Service officers after a traffic stop. The suspect remains at large.
The incident occurred when officers tried to pull over the suspect for an expired registration near the Ellipse and the Washington Monument, just south of the White House. According to the Secret Service, the driver initially showed signs of stopping the vehicle. However, they saw the car suddenly accelerating. The suspect then fled from the scene of the traffic stop and tried to escape from having contact with authorities.
In the process, the suspect ran a red light and struck multiple pedestrians in a crosswalk at the same intersection. U.S. Park Police reported that at least two people were hit, including a 75-year-old man from Philadelphia.
He was rushed to George Washington University Hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries. Another victim, a 13-year-old girl, was evaluated at the scene but did not require hospitalization.
The suspect, following the hit-and-run, fled south and has yet to be apprehended. As of Wednesday night, authorities had not confirmed whether they had identified the driver.
The tragic event unfolded shortly before 1:30 p.m., when Secret Service officers attempted to stop the suspect. The driver initially gave the impression of complying but suddenly accelerated, endangering the lives of pedestrians in the process. The hit-and-run occurred at a busy intersection near the Ellipse and the Washington Monument, just a block away from the White House.