Teen Athlete Killed in Hit-and-Run, Driver Still at Large

0:00A 17-year-old senior, from Armwood High School in Seffner, lost his life in a hit-and-run crash late Saturday night. Elijah Batiste, known as Papa, was driving west on State Road 574 when another car crossed the center line, slamming into him head-on. That collision left both vehicles blocking the road, and moments later, a pickup truck we're ended Batiste's Volkswagen Passat. The truck driver bolted from the scene on foot, turning it into a hit-and-run, according to Florida Highway Patrol reports. Students at Armwood gathered in reverence Monday after hearing the news, as shared by a school board member on social media. Batiste shone on the varsity baseball team there, and kicked it up in soccer for the U.S. Virgin Islands, U-20 dashing eagles, and Tampa Bay United. Family and friends have set up a memorial page online at EverLove.com to honor his memory. With the pickup driver still on the loose, troopers are piecing together more details to bring justice. In power, Elijah, gone too soon.

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