Kids playing 'chicken' before boy killed by car, woman says

The child struck and killed while crossing busy Lantana Road has been identified as Jeromiah L. Desronvil, 8, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

According to Sun Sentinel news partner WPEC-CBS12, a woman who identified herself as a close family friend said Jeromiah was playing a game of chicken with friends when the crash happened and the boy was hit by a truck.

The crash happened at about 6:20 p.m. Wednesday as Jeromiah and a group of children crossed Lantana Road, just east of Via Vermilya in Lantana.

As they crossed, Chevrolet Colorado a 2017 pickup, driven by Joseph Ingrassia, 39, of Deerfield Beach, hit Jeromiah, said Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Teri Barbera.

“Once the child was struck all the other children fled,” she said.

“Detectives are still actively investigation what led up to the incident.”

The boy died at the scene and Ingrassia, who wasn’t injured in the crash, remained at the scene, said Barbera said.

The Sheriff’s Office has not confirmed the report that the children were playing the dare game, chicken.

All lanes of eastbound Lantana Road near Congress Avenue were closed for several hours after the incident.

tealanez@sun-sentinel.com, 954-356-4542 or Twitter @talanez