Cyclist hit by car dies in hospital

Charges against the hit-and-run driver upgraded, officials say

Criminal charges against a Delray Beach man authorities say was involved in a New Year’s night hit-and-run were upgraded after the 19-year-old bicyclist struck in the crash was declared dead from his injuries.

Philip Varsam, 28, hit the back of Alkiva Douglas’ bicycle about 9 p.m. Sunday as Douglas was pedaling south along the 6700 block of Northwest Ninth Avenue, according to Fort Lauderdale police.

Douglas, hospitalized at North Broward Health with critical brain injuries, died Wednesday, investigators said.

Varsam appeared Thursday before Broward Judge Michael Davis on a new charge of leaving the scene of an accident involving death. Varsam had previously been charged with leaving the

scene of an accident involving injury.

Bond on the two charges was set at a total of $100,000.

Davis rejected defense attorney Davina Tala’s request for a lesser bond based on Varsam’s family ties.

“I am very concerned,” said Davis. “He has no [criminal] history. He has lived a clean life until now. On the other side, we have a very young man who is clinically dead.”

A witness reported seeing the driver of a white four-door 2015 Lexus hit the bike and keep on going, police said. That witness followed the Lexus, took down the license plate number and reported it to officers at the accident scene, according to a police affidavit.

Delray Beach police found the suspect vehicle in a guest parking space near Varsam’s residence, investigators said. The car had damage to the right front, including a broken headlight lens. A broken piece of headlight lens consistent with that damage was found at the scene, detectives said.

In an interview with Fort Lauderdale detectives, Varsam said he knew he had hit something, yet did not stop. An investigator “noted a strong odor of alcohol emitting from his person” during the interview, according to the affidavit.

Varsam told police he had been drinking at a party before the crash, detectives said.

In court Thursday, Broward prosecutor Ross Weiner said that a passenger in Varsam’s car told investigators that the two had been drinking at three Palm Beach County bars before the crash.

“These allegations are unsupported,” Tala said outside of court.

She described Varsam as “a good person, in the area for five years, a very upstanding citizen.”

Of Douglas, Tala said, “Obviously, my condolences and that of my client go out to the family.”

Family friend Nadine Cushine said Douglas’ mother had consented to make her son’s organs available for donation.

“They are holding up as best as they can,” said Cushine, of Lauderhill. “As a parent, you never want to accept that a young child has reached the end of his days.”

Police ask anyone who saw the crash to call Traffic Homicide Investigator Jill Hirsch at 954-828-5753.

Varsam