An unfortunate incident unfolded outside the White House this week, resulting in the death of an elderly tourist after being struck by a hit-and-run driver, Your Content has learned.
The driver, attempting to evade the Secret Service, hit multiple individuals, including a 13-year-old girl.
According to the Secret Service, uniformed agents had made an attempt to stop a blue Honda Accord at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The reason for the attempted stop was the vehicle’s expired license. However, the driver, instead of complying, swiftly fled in a southbound direction, leading to the tragic chain of events.
As the suspect crossed a red traffic signal, multiple individuals in the crosswalk fell victim to the collision just outside the White House, as confirmed by Lt. Paul Mayhair, the spokesperson for the Secret Service division responsible for securing the executive mansion and its perimeter. Fortunately, the agents who witnessed the collision acted promptly, providing immediate aid to the injured individuals. Meanwhile, the suspect managed to escape the scene.
The victim, identified as Bing Wong, a 75-year-old tourist from Philadelphia, was rushed to a hospital in critical condition. However, despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries, as reported by the US Park Police on Thursday. Another person affected by the incident was a 13-year-old girl, who, after receiving treatment for minor abrasions, was able to walk away from the scene.
Acknowledging the seriousness of the situation, Chief Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi expressed condolences to the victim’s family in a tweet, while highlighting ongoing efforts by the police to apprehend the suspect. The investigation, led by the US Park Police, is actively pursuing all possible leads to positively identify the driver of the involved vehicle, stated spokesman Lt. James Dingeldein on Thursday afternoon.
In an attempt to locate the driver, the police had visited the residence of a local individual associated with the car implicated in the fatal crash. However, they were unable to find the person at the address. The Washington Post reported that the car, which remains the subject of investigation, has unpaid speeding fines amounting to $720, but the listed owner has not been disclosed, according to New York Post.