A 42-year-old homeless man from the Jacksonville area lost his life in West Palm Beach on Tuesday afternoon when he was struck and killed while crossing a street. The accident involved a Chevrolet Silverado and happened shortly before 12:30 p.m. at the junction of Belvedere Road and Parker Avenue.
The unfortunate victim, identified as Robert Niehaus, aged 42, from Macclenney, was pronounced dead at the scene by the West Palm Beach Fire Department. He was tragically dragged approximately 10 feet by the pickup truck before it came to a stop.
According to reports from witnesses, Niehaus was sprinting across the intersection in a northwest direction when he unexpectedly entered the path of a westbound pickup truck, resulting in the collision. Spokesman Mike Jachles conveyed this information in a news release, stating that the pickup truck had the right of way with a green light when entering the intersection.
Following their investigation, authorities determined that no charges would be pressed against the driver. To facilitate the investigation into the fatal accident, Belvedere Road was temporarily closed from Parker Avenue to Interstate 95, but it was reopened just before 4 p.m.
