The BMW wanted in a hit-and-run crash in Oakland Park has been found, but Broward Sheriff's detectives say they are still searching for the driver.
The Broward Sheriff’s Office says an employee at an oceanfront condominium building notified them Wednesday morning when he saw news reports about a white BMW that fled the scene of a crash Monday night.
The person said he remembered seeing the white BMW 6 Series vehicle return to The Palms condominium late Monday with damage to the front, passenger side of the car.
Detectives believe the BMW left Georgie’s Alibi, a Wilton Manors restaurant, sometime after 10 p.m. Monday.
The crash happened at 10:45 p.m. on Powerline Road just north of Oakland Park Boulevard.
Joseph Deverson, 22, of Fort Lauderdale was hit while riding a Go-Ped, a small, motorized scooter that resembles a skateboard with handles.
Oakland Park Fire Rescue transported Deverson to Broward Health Medical Center with critical injuries. Family and friends say it will take nothing short of a miracle for him to survive.
"It seems like of course everybody is still praying, everybody is still having hope, because nobody has the last say except the Lord," said friend, Judy Smith. "It's rough for (the family) as can be expected. They're all there, I don't think any of them have left the hospital at this point."
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Deverson has been hanging onto life support since Monday. Those who know him held a candlelight vigil near the accident scene Tuesday night.
"We were really glad when we had the vigil last night, we wanted all the media out there we wanted to get this out there... we wanted to find his vehicle," Smith said. And it worked, the car was turned in just hours later.
"Thankfully this person did see the reports last night and they called it in because he recalled seeing the vehicle coming to the parking garage on Monday night," Smith said.
Vehicle parts left at the scene gave detectives critical clues in the case. The BMW that was towed from The Palms was taken to a police impound lot. Investigators said it was missing the passenger-side mirror that was left at the scene and had damage to the lower front grill and quarter panel. Now they just need to find the driver.
It’s possible the driver did not see the Go-Ped, which is not considered a legal vehicle to operate on a Florida road. Investigators say, if the driver had remained on scene, he or she may not have faced any charges in the crash.
Detectives are asking that anyone with information about who was driving the BMW Monday night please contact BSO Det. Carlos DeJesus at 954-321-4840 or call Crime Stoppers of Broward County at 954-493-TIPS.
