Palm Springs Police Search for SUV Driver Who Struck and Killed Pedestrian in Fatal Hit-and-Run on Kirk Road

At approximately 12:08 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, 2026, a man was walking in the roadway on Kirk Road near Lake Worth Road in Palm Springs, Florida, when he was struck by a passing SUV. The crash occurred in the 4100 block of Kirk Road, just south of the Lake Worth Road intersection in Palm Beach County.

Traffic camera footage captured the moment of impact, showing the SUV striking the man and then continuing westbound without slowing down or stopping. The driver did not call for help, did not remain at the scene, and has not come forward in the days since the crash. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

As of June 22, 2026, Palm Springs police had not publicly identified the man who was killed. The investigation is active and ongoing.

The Vehicle: A White-Over-Beige 2002 to 2007 Toyota Highlander

Based on a review of traffic camera footage, Palm Springs police believe the vehicle involved in the fatal crash is a white-over-beige Toyota Highlander, model year between 2002 and 2007. The two-tone coloring is a distinctive characteristic that should make the vehicle identifiable to anyone who has seen it parked or in use in the area.

The SUV should have front-end damage consistent with a serious pedestrian collision. Investigators are asking anyone who has seen a vehicle matching this description, or who has information about the identity of the driver, to contact the Palm Springs Police Department immediately.

Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 1-800-458-8477. Information from the public has proven decisive in resolving hit-and-run cases across Palm Beach County, and investigators are counting on community members to come forward.

Florida Law on Hit-and-Run: What the Driver Was Required to Do

Under Florida Statute § 316.027, any driver involved in a crash that results in the death of another person is legally required to immediately stop at or as close to the scene as possible, remain there until law enforcement arrives, and provide their identifying information. Drivers are also required to render reasonable assistance to any injured person, which includes calling 911 for emergency medical help.

Leaving the scene of a crash involving a fatality is a first-degree felony in Florida, carrying a mandatory minimum prison sentence of four years and a maximum of 30 years. The criminal penalties do not depend on who caused the crash. Even if the driver believed the pedestrian was at fault for being in the roadway, the legal obligation to stop and remain at the scene is absolute.

Beyond the criminal exposure, a driver who flees can face significant civil liability as well. In Florida civil cases, the act of fleeing a crash scene can itself be introduced as evidence of consciousness of guilt. A driver who strikes someone and drives away forfeits any moral or legal standing they might otherwise have had to argue comparative fault.

Palm Beach County’s Ongoing Pedestrian Safety Crisis

Palm Beach County has struggled with pedestrian fatalities for years, and Palm Springs — a densely populated municipality surrounded by Lake Worth Beach, West Palm Beach, and Greenacres — sees consistent foot traffic on its roads at all hours. Kirk Road, running through the heart of Palm Springs near the heavily traveled Lake Worth Road corridor, is an area where pedestrians regularly cross and walk along the roadway.

Florida ranks among the top states in the nation for pedestrian fatalities year after year, and Palm Beach County consistently accounts for a significant portion of those deaths. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles has documented hundreds of pedestrian-involved crashes in Palm Beach County in recent years, with a meaningful number occurring late at night or in the early morning hours when visibility is reduced and driver vigilance tends to decline.

Hit-and-run incidents represent a particularly troubling subset of those crashes. When a driver flees, victims are left without immediate aid during the most critical window for survival, families are denied immediate answers, and accountability is delayed or denied entirely. The trauma of not knowing who was responsible for a loved one’s death compounds an already devastating loss.

Who May Bear Legal Responsibility

At this stage of the investigation, the driver of the white-over-beige Toyota Highlander is the central focus of both the criminal and civil legal picture. Once identified, the driver faces first-degree felony charges under Florida’s hit-and-run statute in addition to potential civil wrongful death liability.

Under Florida Statute § 768.19, the surviving family members of a person killed due to another’s negligence or wrongful conduct may pursue a wrongful death action seeking compensation for loss of companionship, lost financial support, medical costs incurred before death, and funeral and burial expenses. The act of striking a pedestrian and leaving the scene — particularly when that person was on a public road that the driver was also using — forms a straightforward basis for a negligence claim once the driver is identified.

Florida’s modified comparative negligence framework under Florida Statute § 768.81 may allow a defense attorney to raise the pedestrian’s position in the roadway as a contributing factor if the case proceeds to civil litigation. However, the driver’s decision to flee the scene carries its own independent legal weight and is treated seriously by Florida courts regardless of the pedestrian’s circumstances at the time of the crash.

The Importance of Traffic Camera Evidence in Hit-and-Run Investigations

One critical advantage investigators have in this case is the existence of traffic camera footage that clearly captured both the collision and the vehicle involved. This type of evidence has become increasingly important in Florida hit-and-run investigations, as it provides an objective, timestamped record of the vehicle’s appearance and direction of travel that cannot be disputed or altered.

In Palm Beach County and across South Florida, traffic and surveillance cameras positioned near major intersections and roadways have helped investigators identify drivers in cases where no witnesses came forward. The footage in this case has already allowed police to identify the make, model, and approximate model year of the Highlander, as well as its distinctive two-tone paint scheme — a level of detail that significantly narrows the field of possible vehicles.

Law enforcement will also likely examine whether any additional cameras in the area — from businesses, residential properties, or other road systems — captured the vehicle before or after the crash, which could help establish the direction the driver came from and where they went after leaving the scene.

Current Status of the Investigation

As of June 22, 2026, the Palm Springs Police Department has not made an arrest or publicly identified the driver of the Toyota Highlander. The victim has not been formally identified. The investigation is ongoing, and police are continuing to gather evidence and follow up on leads.

Anyone who recognizes a white-over-beige 2002 to 2007 Toyota Highlander with front-end damage, or who has any information about the identity of the driver, is urged to contact the Palm Springs Police Department directly or submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 1-800-458-8477.