LAKE CLARKE SHORES, Fla. — Lake Clarke Shores police says it's investigating a hit-and-run that left a family of four injured on Christmas Eve.
On Dec. 24, at around 8 p.m., Palm Beach County Fire Rescue responded to the 7000 block of West Lake Drive for reports of a car accident. A family riding in a golf cart had been struck by a pickup truck.
Authorities said the truck fled the scene. All four family members were given emergency care at the scene and then transported to a local trauma center.
Lake Clarke Shores police have not provided a description of the vehicle as of Thursday. But WPTV's Ethan Stein obtained surveillance footage from a neighbor, showing a truck driving away after a loud noise around the time the crash took place.
Nicole Quattrocchi said her family of four were the victims of the crash. She said her family sustained injuries ranging from road rash to broken bones and concussions.
"It was terrifying, just completely terrifying," she said.
Quattrocchi, who said she's dealing with a brain bleed from the accident, spoke from her son's hospital room. She said her family, including her husband Steven Quattrocchi and two children, were driving back from dinner on Christmas Eve and looking at Christmas lights around the neighborhood before a car hit their golf cart.
Her son sustained a broken leg and has had a second surgery. Her daughter has bruising. She said her husband, who was driving the golf cart, sustained a broken back and ribs, and will need a back brace for mobility.
"I still am astounded that someone could have left us there bleeding in the street," Quattrocchi said. "That is very frustrating. I just want this person to be found so they can't do this to somebody else because they could have killed us."
She says she doesn't remember getting hit or the golf cart flipping, but she does remember her son screaming. She said a neighbor came out to help them and call 911. Quattrocchi said she then remained at the scene to accompany her son to the hospital, then she realized the extent of her injuries. She's still grateful nobody was killed or paralyzed.
"I knew we were all talking when the ambulance arrived," Quattrocchi said. "But, apparently my husband gave his death speech to his brother. He really thought he was going."
A GoFundMe has been established to help the family with medical expenses, which has raised more than $29,000. Quattrocchi said the outpouring of support from the community is "overwhelming."
"It's been amazing," Quattrocchi said. "It's been a lot of tears. A lot of people have called us, texted us, neighbors that we didn't know are reaching out to us."
