Lake in the Hills couple killed in Florida hit-and-run

CLEARWATER, Fla. (WLS) -- Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver who struck and killed a couple from the northwest suburbs.

Lake in the Hills residents Viola Flores and John Berg were killed while vacationing in Clearwater, Florida.

"We're suffering greatly right now with this loss," said Matt Berg, victim's son. "It's hard to comprehend that it's actually happening."

John Berg, 62, was vacationing in Clearwater, Fla., with a friend, Viola Flores, 51.

On Sunday night, the couple was crossing the Clearwater Memorial Causeway on foot when police say the driver of a Mercedes SUV hit them and kept going.

"One was in the road, and the other was in the side of the road, so I think the impact was quite serious on them," said Rob Shaw, spokesperson, Clearwater Police Dept.

Berg and Flores would later die at a hospital.

Clearwater was a favorite vacation spot of Berg, who enjoyed fishing and antique cars. The Algonquin native was a retired mechanic.

"Everyone is going to say that their father was the best dad in the world. My dad was great," Berg said. "He would talk to anybody. He would talk to a perfect stranger on the street and carry on a 15-minute conversation with them."

Investigators have released multiple surveillance images of the vehicle that allegedly sped away. The Mercedes SUV sustained front-end damage.

"How another human being could do that to another human being is beyond me," Berg said.

Viola Flores was the mother of two adult children and the grandmother of a baby girl.

Police hope the distinctive make and model of that SUV will lead to a valuable tip from the public.