STARTS WITH BREAKING NEWS. BREAKING NEWS TONIGHT. WEST PALM BEACH POLICE ARE MOURNING THE LOSS OF ONE OF THEIR OWN, OFFICER JOSHUA BALLESTEROS WAS KILLED IN A CAR WRECK EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. HE WAS 30 YEARS OLD. GOOD EVENING. I’M FELICIA RODRIGUEZ. I’M TODD MCDERMOTT. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE AT 11. ARI HAIT JOINS US NOW LIVE FROM THE WEST PALM BEACH POLICE HEADQUARTERS WITH MORE ON THAT SINGLE VEHICLE CRASH. WHEN PEOPLE ARE SAYING TONIGHT ABOUT OFFICER BALLESTEROS, ARI, I TALKED TO A FAMILY FRIEND OF OFFICER JOSHUA BALLESTEROS EARLIER TONIGHT. HE TELLS ME THE OFFICER HAD A DAUGHTER AND HAD RECENTLY GOTTEN ENGAGED. AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, HIS FAMILY IS NOW DEVASTATED NOW AND SHOW YOU A PHOTO OF OFFICER JOSHUA BALLESTEROS AGAIN. HE WAS 30 YEARS OLD. HE HAD BEEN WITH WEST PALM BEACH POLICE FOR ONLY A FEW YEARS, BUT THE PRESIDENT OF THE WEST PALM BEACH FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE TELLS ME HE HAD A GREAT REPUTATION AND A VERY BRIGHT FUTURE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. LET ME GO NOW AND SHOW YOU SOME VIDEO. THIS IS FROM YESTERDAY AND IT’S A PROCESSION OF WEST PALM BEACH POLICE OFFICERS LEAVING SAINT MARY’S MEDICAL CENTER SHORTLY AFTER BALLESTEROS DIED, THEIR LIGHTS FLASHING IN HIS HONOR. INVESTIGATORS SAY BY CRASHED HIS CAR INTO A CANAL OFF OF CONGRESS AVENUE AT 521 SUNDAY MORNING. RESPONDING OFFICERS PULLED HIM FROM THE CANAL. THEY BEGAN CPR, BUT THEY SAY NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO SAVE HIS LIFE. AT THIS POINT, IT’S UNCLEAR WHAT CAUSED HIM TO VEER OFF THE ROAD AND WIND UP IN THAT CANAL THAT INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING THAT IS THE VERY LATEST REPORTING LIVE
Off-duty West Palm Beach police officer dies after car crashes into canal
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Updated: 6:39 AM EDT Apr 16, 2024
A 30-year-old West Palm Beach police officer died early Sunday morning after his car crashed into a canal along North Congress Avenue, according to police spokesman Mike Jachles.At 5:21 a.m. on April 14, a 911 caller reported seeing a car go into the canal off Congress Avenue just south of Lombard Street. Another 911 caller said they saw the car upside down in the water with no one getting out.Officers arrived within minutes, went into the water, and brought the driver of the 2017 Ford Fusion to shore. They immediately began CPR and West Palm Beach Fire Rescue paramedics took him to St. Mary’s Medical Center in critical condition. The driver, identified as Joshua Tyree Ballesteros, 30, of West Palm Beach, died later Sunday at the hospital.Traffic homicide investigators determined that the Ford Fusion was northbound on Congress Avenue when, for reasons unknown, it ran off the road and struck a guardrail before hitting a tree, rolling over, and landing in the canal upside down. Southbound Congress Avenue was shut down for several hours while investigators conducted the on-scene investigation, and the car was removed from the canal.Adam Myers, president of the West Palm Beach Fraternal Order of Police, released a statement on social media:"We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of our colleague and friend, Officer Joshua Ballesteros, who passed away this morning, April 14th, 2024, as the result of an off-duty traffic crash. May the Lord be with all those who love him and will suffer the void he leaves as they traverse this season of grief."Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A 30-year-old West Palm Beach police officer died early Sunday morning after his car crashed into a canal along North Congress Avenue, according to police spokesman Mike Jachles.
At 5:21 a.m. on April 14, a 911 caller reported seeing a car go into the canal off Congress Avenue just south of Lombard Street. Another 911 caller said they saw the car upside down in the water with no one getting out.
Officers arrived within minutes, went into the water, and brought the driver of the 2017 Ford Fusion to shore. They immediately began CPR and West Palm Beach Fire Rescue paramedics took him to St. Mary’s Medical Center in critical condition. The driver, identified as Joshua Tyree Ballesteros, 30, of West Palm Beach, died later Sunday at the hospital.
Traffic homicide investigators determined that the Ford Fusion was northbound on Congress Avenue when, for reasons unknown, it ran off the road and struck a guardrail before hitting a tree, rolling over, and landing in the canal upside down. Southbound Congress Avenue was shut down for several hours while investigators conducted the on-scene investigation, and the car was removed from the canal.
Adam Myers, president of the West Palm Beach Fraternal Order of Police, released a statement on social media:
"We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of our colleague and friend, Officer Joshua Ballesteros, who passed away this morning, April 14th, 2024, as the result of an off-duty traffic crash. May the Lord be with all those who love him and will suffer the void he leaves as they traverse this season of grief."
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
