Cops: Boy dies after attempted traffic stop

BOYNTON BEACH — A teenage boy is dead after after he crashed a motorbike as Boynton Beach police officers tried to pull him over.

Law enforcement officials provided few details Sunday evening and did not identify the boy, but said he was driving “recklessly” on Boynton Beach Boulevard earlier that afternoon. When they tried to pull him over, he crashed the bike near the 800 block of North Federal Highway.

The teen was heading northbound on U.S. Highway 1 in the left lane near Northeast Eighth Avenue when he lost control of the dirt bike, according to a news release from the Florida Highway Patrol, and crashed into the curb of the median.

The impact from crashing into the curb threw the boy off the bike, causing him to hit a sign in the median, according to FHP. He landed facing west in the left lane on U.S. 1 southbound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

After striking the curb, the bike came to a stop in the right lane, facing north, FHP said.

“At this point, in the preliminary investigation, I am not seeing any evidence or heard any witnesses’ testimony that states that the officer’s vehicle came in contact with the dirt bike,” Boynton Beach Police Chief Michael G. Gregory said.

“Our hearts go out to the family members of this young person, and they can trust that we and our law enforcement partners will be conducting a series of thorough and meticulous investigations into the circumstances of what occurred.”

At least one of the officers who tried to pull the teen over will be placed on administrative leave as officials investigate what happened, per department policy, according to Boynton Beach Police spokeswoman Stephanie Slater.

“That was my grandson, my only grandson,” said Tina Hunter, who identified herself to WPTV News Channel 5 as the grandmother of the victim. “They chased him, chased him. He just panicked because he’s a kid. Chased him right to his damn grave and figured he’s just another Black boy and ain’t nothing is going to be done. That’s the prejudice of the Boynton Beach police that we’ve been having problems for all these damn years.”

The Florida Highway Patrol will be the lead investigative agency on the crash, Slater said.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call police at 561-732-8116.