Officer to be fired after leaving scene of deadly hit-and-run crash in Philadelphia: Commissioner
Philly officer faces firing after fatal Olney hit-and-run
A Philadelphia police officer is now facing dismissal after investigators say he left a man lying in the street on Rising Sun Avenue, minutes before the man was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. The officer, a two-year veteran assigned to the 35th District, was suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss, according to police.
PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia police officer will be dismissed after an internal affairs investigation concluded that he failed to render necessary aid to a man who fell into the street and was eventually run over by a car.
Officer suspended, fired
What's New?:
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel on Monday announced the officer, a 2-year member of the department, has been suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss.
Bethel said the officer did not uphold the officer's code of ethics, which he says includes protecting the community and safeguarding lives and property. The identity of the officer has not been released.
"I can't train compassion, I can't train empathy," Bethel told reporters. "Unfortunately, there are times when individuals may not exhibit those qualities and as a result of that they can no longer be serving in this police department."
Hit-and-run, internal affairs investigation
What we know:
Police say the deadly hit-and-run happened during the early morning hours of August 27 on the 5500 block of Rising Sun Avenue in the city's Olney section.
First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford said police were first notified about the fatal crash by the medical examiner's office hours after it happened, leading investigators to pull security camera videos from nearby businesses and city cameras.
Footage shows the victim, identified Monday as 48-year-old Eugene Buford, walking with an "unsteady gait" in the bike lane on Rising Sun Avenue around 1:40 a.m. when a Philadelphia police officer stops to speak with him. Investigators say Buford fell to the ground during the encounter, lying partially in the bike lane and the roadway.
Philadelphia officer failed to help hit-and-run victim before and after deadly crash: police
Investigators are searching for a hit-and-run driver after a man was fatally struck moments after falling into the road during an encounter with a Philadelphia police officer who did not provide help, authorities announced on Friday.
The officer pulls in front of Buford and exits their vehicle, continuing to speak with him as he lay on the ground. Stanford says the officer eventually returned to his vehicle and drove away, leaving Buford lying in the roadway.
With the officer gone, a passerby then walks over to Buford and has a brief conversation before leaving him behind. That's when police say an oncoming vehicle sees the victim in the road and stops, and another vehicle goes around the stopped car and strikes Buford.
The passerby and another person who saw the crash rushed over to pull Buford out of the road and call for help. Stanford said the officer from the initial encounter was first to respond, and did not file a police report.
"What we can see on video doesn't fall in line with our policies as a police department," Stanford said. "Very troubling to see there's an officer that responds to this location and fails to render any type of aid prior to the individual being struck by that vehicle."
Vehicle located, driver ID'd
What's next:
Investigators say they have identified and located the green Kia Sportage involved in the hit-and-run, but the driver has not been arrested.
The Philadelphia Police Department’s crash investigation division is continuing to investigate and plans to turn over the case to the district attorney’s office to determine whether any criminal charges will be filed.
What we don't know:
Police have not released the name of the officer involved in the incident or of the suspected hit-and-run driver. Investigators have not said why the officer left the scene, and Commissioner Bethel stated that while the officer explained his actions, the explanation did not change the decision to dismiss him. The investigation into both the officer’s conduct and the fatal crash is ongoing.
The Source: Information provided by the Philadelphia Police Department and previous FOX 29 News reports.