FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police are seeking the community’s help in finding the driver who struck and killed a homeless man in a wheelchair in Fort Lauderdale.

Fort Lauderdale Police responded to the scene near Northwest Seventh Avenue and Sunrise Boulevard at around 1 a.m., Wednesday.

Investigators said the pedestrian was trying to cross Sunrise Boulevard when the person behind the wheel of an older model black Honda hit him and continued driving without stopping to render aid.

Witness Terrance Johnson said the crash happened right in front of him.

“He was rolling back right here. He was just rolling back, trying to get across the street, and then next thing you know, saw a car coming,” he said, I don’t know how fast he was going, but he was going pretty fast. “It just said, ‘eeeerrrrr boom,’ hit him. We just saw him going up in the air.”

The victim, known as “Popeye” by his friends, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Newly released surveillance video showed the moments after the impact as a wheelchair flipped down the street and came to rest near a sidewalk.

Johnson said the driver took off while he and other witnesses rushed to the victim’s side.

“Saw his last breathing,” said Johnson.

People who knew “Popeye” said he lived on the streets for years.

“We saw him a couple of hours ago, and I can’t believe it; this is very strange,” said Zeek Titus, a friend of the victim. “This is his area. He’s frequent over here. Most of the time he’s panhandling, but its sad to say what happened to him.”

“When we call him around here in the neighborhood, we feed him and help him out and stuff like that,” said Johnson. “I feel bad that he’s gone.”

7News captured crews removing the man’s body from the scene as well as his mangled wheelchair.

“He was paralyzed from the waist down,” said Titus. “He got shot a couple years back, and he’s been in a wheelchair ever since.”

Tony Erlich, a friend of the victim, stopped by the crash scene to see it for himself.

“Sad to say. When I heard about it when I woke up this morning, I was shocked,” said Erlich.

Erlich said his friend was pretty good about crossing the street, but he knows it was dangerous.

“Drivers don’t really slow down when they see a handicapped person crossing the street,” Erlich said. “They have the tendency to speed up sometimes.”

Sunrise Boulevard was shut down near Northwest Fifth Avenue. However, the road has since reopened.

At this point, police said there is an active and ongoing investigation to track down the driver. Investigators believe the motorist was traveling west.

Investigators have released a description of a possible vehicle, which was described to be a black, older model Honda sedan with damage to the front right end as well as the windshield.

Police are working to notify next of kin before they release the victim’s identity.

If you have any information on this hit-and-run, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.

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