Police search for driver of stolen truck in deadly hit-run
A 77-year-old Pembroke Pines man is dead and a passenger in his car is temporarily paralyzed after a hit-and-run crash by a stolen U-Haul pickup truck last month in West Park, authorities said.
Michael Dodsworth died in surgery Nov. 23, the day after the accident. A woman who was sitting in the front passenger seat has “temporary paralysis of her lower half,” according to the Broward Sheriff ’s Office while a passenger in the back seat sustained minor injuries.
Dodsworth was driving a 2014 Chrysler 200 when it was T-boned by a 2021 white Chevrolet Silverado about 10 p.m. Nov. 22, said Broward Sheriff ’s Detective Chandler Greetham.
Both vehicles sustained “catastrophic damage,” according to Greetham.
Dodsworth was turning left into a business complex in the 2000 block of South State Road 7 when the truck hit the car. The Silverado driver fled west on foot after the crash.
The Silverado, with two doors and and eight-foot bed, turned out to be stolen U-Haul that had its markings removed, making it look like it was a personal vehicle, Greetham said. A stolen ID was used to rent the truck for four hours on Nov. 8.
“The driver never stopped to render any aid or attempt to call 911,” Greetham said.
Greetham said there were three witnesses to the crash and a witness who saw the driver is cooperating.
Greetham said officials have video of the truck just before the crash but it’s only about four or five seconds long and they don’t have video of the actual crash.
The truck was rented from a U-Haul in Hollywood, and Greetham said the company is cooperating. He said video of the person who rented the pickup had been overwritten by the time it was requested by the Broward Sheriff ’s Office. But officials don’t know if the person who rented the pickup was driving it during the crash.
Greetham said police have spoken to the owner of the stolen ID.
Authorities ask anyone with information to call Greetham at 954-321-4844 or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.