Man, 75, fatally pinned between vehicles in South Philadelphia; driver fled scene
PHILADELPHIA - A chain reaction crash in South Philadelphia left a 75-year-old man dead late Saturday night after he was pinned between two parked vehicles.
What we know:
Police say the incident occurred on May 30 at approximately 10:40 p.m. in the 1100 block of South 11th Street.
A white 2013 Ford F-250 was traveling northbound when the driver appeared to lose control and struck a legally parked, unoccupied Chevrolet Express van, according to police.
At the time of the collision, a 75-year-old male pedestrian was standing between the Chevrolet Express and a parked Land Rover. The impact forced the Chevrolet into the pedestrian, pinning him against the Land Rover.
According to investigators, the driver of the Ford exited the vehicle and attempted to pull the man free but was unable to do so. The driver then fled the scene on foot, running southbound on South 11th Street before turning eastbound onto Latona Street.
Emergency medical personnel transported the victim to Jefferson University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:08 p.m. He has since been identified as John McDermott of Philadelphia.
What they're saying:
Neighbors described the crash as loud and shocking. "I was just walking to the corner. Boom! It was loud, it was real loud. The car was smoking for a second and then it stopped. We thought it was going to explode," Mike Borda, who lives on Federal Street, told FOX 29.
A memorial has started at the scene to honor the man who died.
Others shared sympathy for the victim’s family. "I just hope that, you know, you can understand how tragic this must be for the victim’s family and, hopefully, you will just come forward," Denise Gentile said, addressing the suspect.
What we don't know:
The Ford F-250 was towed from the scene, and the crash remains under active investigation by the Crash Investigation Division.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by Philadelphia police.