Troopers find truck involved in fatal Bradenton hit-and-run. But not the driver

A hit-and-run driver killed a 34-year-old woman trying to cross U.S. 41 in Bradenton early Monday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash happened about 6:33 a.m. Monday on U.S. 41/14th Street West near Bayshore Gardens Parkway, FHP said. The woman, whose name was not released, was trying to cross the six lanes of U.S. 41 about 1,000 feet south of Bayshore Gardens Parkway, when she was hit by a northbound pickup truck. She died at the scene, FHP said.

The driver was last seen heading north on U.S. 41.

FHP confirmed Tuesday that a suspect vehicle has been found and impounded, but the search for the driver continues.

Troopers said that a tip led them to an unoccupied Ford F-250 in the 3600 block of 16th Street West in Bradenton that matches the description of the truck involved in the crash.

The truck is a blue and orange Ford F-250, Harley-Davidson edition, and it matches the image of the suspected hit-and-run vehicle released by FHP on Monday, apparently taken by a traffic camera.

The Ford has front-end damage that troopers say “is consistent with being involved in a pedestrian crash.” The truck has been impounded and will undergo forensic testing as a search for the driver continues, according to FHP.

Anyone with information about what happened can call *FHP on a cell phone or 239-938-1800.

This story was originally published October 12, 2020 at 12:24 PM.