Troopers search for hit-and-run driver that hospitalized 3 children in Manatee crash
A hit-and-run crash in Manatee County left three young children seriously injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash happened around 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 22 in the 5700 block of Verna Bethany Road in Myakka City. Troopers said a dark blue SUV was traveling north when it entered the southbound lane, forcing an oncoming van off the road. The van’s driver veered left to avoid a crash but went off the roadway, hitting a wooden power pole and overturning, according to a crash report.
Witnesses told FHP the SUV briefly stopped before speeding away, according to a news release.
Three children in the van, ages 1, 3 and 4, suffered serious injuries and were taken to a hospital, FHP said. The 4-year-old remains hospitalized in critical condition. The van driver, a 33-year-old man from Myakka City, and a 34-year-old female passenger were not injured, troopers said.
FHP described the SUV as dark blue with dark tinted windows. Anyone with information about the vehicle or its driver is asked to contact Florida Highway Patrol by dialing *347 or contacting CrimeStoppers at www.ManateeCrimeStoppers.com.
The investigation is ongoing, troopers said.
