WEST PALM BEACH, FL — West Palm Beach police are asking residents in the city's Southend neighborhood to check their security cameras for footage from a 30-minute window early Monday morning as detectives search for the driver in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a 28-year-old server on his way home from work.
Officers responded to the 4900 block of South Olive Avenue around 1:50 a.m. Monday, July 6, and found Connor Blais dead in the roadway, according to the West Palm Beach Police Department. An electric scooter was located nearby.
Detectives said the driver fled the scene without stopping to render aid or report the crash.
Investigators believe the suspect vehicle may have sustained damage to its front end or passenger side, according to the department.
Police are asking anyone who lives along South Olive Avenue between Russlyn Drive and Pilgrim Road to review security camera footage recorded between 1:20 a.m. and 1:50 a.m. Monday.
Blais worked as a server at O'Shea's Irish Pub in downtown West Palm Beach and was heading home from a shift when he was struck, according to police and the bar. In Facebook posts, O'Shea's said Blais was riding southbound in the bike lane on South Olive Avenue when he was hit from behind. In a follow-up post on July 8, the bar said police had located the vehicle involved but had not identified the driver. The West Palm Beach Police Department has not publicly confirmed a vehicle recovery.
A public memorial for Blais is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, July 12, at O'Shea's Irish Pub, 531 Clematis St. The bar said the first round is "on Connor," with the first drink covered in his memory. A GoFundMe organized by the family is raising money for funeral and memorial expenses, with the family planning to donate anything left in his name.
Anyone with information or video is asked to contact Detective Hatfield at 561-822-1784 and reference case No. 20260009954. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 1-800-458-TIPS (8477) or through the Crime Stoppers website.
More public safety reporting from the area can be found in West Palm Beach News.
