Fort Pierce man, 43, dies after hit-and-run crash on IR Drive in St. Lucie County

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — A 43-year-old man died last week, three days after being struck in what the Florida Highway Patrol described as a hit-and-run crash.

State troopers were called about 6:34 p.m. on Dec. 26 to the crash in the 10700 block of South Indian River Drive, which is north of Southeast Walton Road, according to information from Lt. Indiana Miranda, FHP spokesperson.

The vehicle last was seen traveling north on Indian River Drive. Attempts to get additional information from Miranda have not been successful.

The person who died is William Brown, according to girlfriend Shellie Robertson, 48, who said she originally is from Campbellsburg, Kentucky. She said Brown originally is from Louisville, Kentucky.

In an interview this week, Robertson said she and Brown have been living in Fort Pierce for about a year, and live in the 9000 block of South Indian River Drive. She said Brown was on his way home on an e-bike at the time of the crash.

He’d left earlier, she said, to buy dog food for their pit bulls, Dottie and Chunk, and was on his way back. Robertson said she was going to purchase the food, but Brown didn’t want her to go.

“He was terrified of Walton Road and Indian River Drive because there's no bike path and there's no sidewalk,” Robertson said.

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Robertson said Brown was taken to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital in Fort Pierce, and died Dec. 29. She said he has family members in Kentucky and Illinois.

Robertson said Brown used to be a filmmaker, working in television and movies. She also said he had been involved in snowboarding and surfing, but had cancer and his health declined.

“He would talk your ear off, but he had so many stories about things,” Robertson said.

He loved the ocean, and liked being outside with Robertson and enjoying the weather.

Robertson said their car broke down, as had her vintage scooter.

“I didn't want to lose my job, so I went and got an e-bike,” Robertson said.

She said she typically works at a convenience store in Jensen Beach, and rode slightly more than 8 miles one way.

Robertson said she installed a number of lights on the bike, including motion activated lights on the wheels and multiple headlights.

“He did have them on that night,” Robertson said. “They were still on when the bike was found.”

In May, the speed limit dropped from 35 mph to 25 mph on Indian River Drive on a 14-mile stretch between Fort Pierce and Jensen Beach after other safety measures including stop signs and double yellow lines failed to get drivers to slow down, former St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said at the time.

Crash data from the past five years shows 221 accidents, including eight fatalities, occurred along Indian River Drive, according to an October 2022 report to St. Lucie County commissioners.

Robertson encouraged anyone who knows who could be responsible for the hit-and-run to come forward.

“Surely they have some kind of guilt over this because nobody could be that cold hearted,” Robertson said. “Maybe they freaked out and got scared and ran, but it ain’t right.”

Anyone with information can call Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 800-273-TIPS.

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Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Fatal hit-run crash investigated on South Indian River Drive in SLC