Philadelphia police investigate fatal hit-and-run and officer misconduct

Philadelphia police are investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash in the Olney section of the city that occurred around 1:40 a.m. on a Thursday. The incident took place on the 5500 block of Rising Sun Avenue.

According to First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford, a police officer encountered a 48-year-old man walking in a bike lane with an unsteady gait. Surveillance footage shows the officer speaking to the man from a vehicle, after which the man fell. The officer reportedly exited the vehicle to speak with the man, then returned to the vehicle and drove away, leaving the man partially in the bike lane and partially in the vehicle lane.

Moments later, a vehicle struck the man, killing him. The driver of the striking vehicle, described as a 2023 to 2026 green Kia Sportage X9 with black and chrome rims, fled the scene and is being sought by authorities.

An internal affairs investigation has been launched into the officer's conduct, as investigators noted the officer failed to render aid or file a police report. Stanford described the officer's actions as ‘troubling’ and stated they go against departmental values.