A marked West Palm Beach police car caught fire in a single-vehicle crash in Boynton Beach early Friday morning, authorities say, killing the driver.
Just after 2:30 a.m., Boynton Beach Police responded to the crash at the intersection of Hypoluxo Road and Lawrence Road, the police department said in a release on social media.
The police car had collided with a concrete pole, said Holly Picciano, a spokesperson for Boynton Beach Police.
Then it went up in flames. The driver died, but “their identity has not been confirmed,” the release said.
The crash shut down the intersection for several hours Friday morning.
The release did not confirm whether the driver of the car was a West Palm Beach police officer.
“We have not been able to confirm the identity of the individual driving the vehicle,” Picciano said.
A statement released late Friday afternoon by West Palm Beach Police spokesman Mike Jachles said the department had no information to share until positive identification of the victim is confirmed by the Palm Beach County medical examiner, which could take several days.
Jachles referred questions about the crash to Boynton Beach Police.
“Our thoughts, prayers, and sincerest condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim, as well as the West Palm Beach Police Department,” Boynton Beach Police said in the release.
