Port St. Lucie Police Department
WILL GREENLEE/TCPALM
USA TODAY Network, Reuters
A 14-year-old Treasure Coast High School freshman who was struck by an SUV while walking to school has died, Port St. Lucie police said.
The boy had been in critical condition with life-threatening injuries since the crash Oct. 7. Police announced his death the evening of Oct. 9 but did not say when he died.
The crash happened about 6 a.m. near the intersection of Southwest Port St. Lucie Boulevard and Southwest Squirrel Avenue. The boy was walking near construction barrels at the edge of the boulevard when he was struck from behind, according to the department’s preliminary investigation.
Authorities said he was hit by a 2002 Ford Excursion driven by a 72-year-old man.
The driver initially thought he had hit a construction barrel, police said earlier. He made a U-turn, found the boy unconscious on the side of the road and called 911.
A preliminary assessment showed no clear signs the driver was impaired, though police said that could change as the investigation continues.
Police have not identified the boy or the driver.
The investigation is ongoing as detectives continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash, police said.
In a statement, the department extended condolences to the boy’s family, friends and classmates.
Police asked anyone who witnessed the crash, or who has dash-camera, surveillance or other video from the area around that time, to call 772-871-5000.
TCPalm’s trending and breaking news reporter Olivia Franklin contributed to this report.
Jack Lemnus is a TCPalm enterprise reporter. Contact him at jack.lemnus@tcpalm.com, 772-409-1345, or follow him on X @JackLemnus.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida teen hit by SUV while walking to school dies
Reporting by Jack Lemnus, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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This story was originally published October 10, 2026 at 9:33 AM.