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FHP: Missing Florida teen last seen in Orlando killed in hit-and-run

Updated  April 7, 2021 3:44pm EDT
Florida
FOX 13 Tampa Bay

Search for South Florida teen last seen in Orlando

Anthony Mejias was traveling from Tallahassee to his South Florida home by bus when he made a stop in Orlando. That was the last known location of the 19-year-old man who has been missing since Thursday.

LAKE MARY, Fla. - A 19-year-old man whose mother says he went missing while traveling from Tallahassee to Ft. Lauderdale was fatally struck by a vehicle, Florida troopers said.

A mother from Ft. Lauderdale says her teenage son went missing late Thursday night in Orlando, prompting an investigation from law enforcement.

"He needs to come home. He needs to get out of here and needs to come home. That’s all I care about," Vivian Blanco said.  Her 19-year-old son Anthony Mejias has been missing since Thursday at 11:45 p.m. "He just moved to Tallahassee in January. He wanted to come home."

She explained that Anthony took a bus from Tallahassee to Ft. Lauderdale, where they live. She even talked to him via Facetime as he was boarding on Thursday.

However, Anthony was supposed to make a connection in Orlando, but during a 15-minute layover, Vivian said he fell asleep. He was seen on video at the bus station, without his luggage or skateboard, she added.

Vivian also believes her son's phone and ID went missing because she said that he was not allowed back onto this connection, citing that "the bus driver and the Red Coach, that’s what they said. They said he couldn’t get in because he couldn’t show ID because he didn’t have his phone."

However, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) confirmed to FOX 35 on Wednesday that Anthony died after being struck in a hit-and-run crash on Orange Avenue. 

The FHP report said that a vehicle was traveling southbound on Orange Avenue just before 2:30 a.m. on Friday when a man, later identified as Anthony, was walking in an unknown direction. The vehicle struck that man and fled the scene.

Anthony was reportedly taken to the hospital, where he died on Saturday afternoon. The man remained unidentified until his mom was able to positively identify him at the medical examiner's office. 

This crash is said to still be under investigation.  Anyone who has information about the crash or the car that struck Anthony is asked to call FHP at 407-737-2213 or Crimeline.