A teen cyclist was killed while crossing the entrance of a strip mall in Pembroke Pines
A 15-year-old cyclist was hit and killed in a traffic crash on Monday evening as he tried to cross the entrance of a strip mall in Pembroke Pines, police said.
The boy, who was not identified by Pembroke Pines police, was riding on the sidewalk eastbound on the 15800 block of Pines Boulevard near Westfork Plaza when he tried to cross the entrance of the shopping plaza. The 68-year-old driver, Joan Ferris Berkowitz, turned to exit the mall and dragged the cyclist under her vehicle, police said they found in a preliminary investigation.
Berkowitz’s vehicle had to be lifted by first responders to pull the teen victim from under the 2004 Mercury Monterey minivan, according to police. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died.
Police did not immediately say if Berkowitz was facing any charges.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the Pembroke Pines Police Department at 954-431-2200, email tips@ppines.com or contact Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
