A 41-year-old woman died after being hit by a vehicle that was traveling at high speed in Miami.
The driver, identified as Ivana Gómez, was arrested moments after the crash as she attempted to leave the scene.
According to the authorities, the woman showed clear signs of alcohol intoxication and refused to cooperate with the police.
The accident occurred at the intersection of 7th Street and 21st Avenue Southwest, in the neighborhood of Little Havana, Miami.
The fact: An instant death and a failed escape
According to a report by Telemundo 51, the victim was identified as Katrin Carlin, who was crossing the street on foot when she was struck by a vehicle traveling at high speed.
However, an officer patrolling the area observed part of the incident.
This is how Mike Vega, spokesperson for the Miami Police Department, reported it, indicating that the officer saw a blue BMW speeding by, attempted to follow the vehicle, and ended up witnessing the car striking a woman who was crossing the street.
The involved vehicle stopped just a block and a half ahead, at a red light, at which point the officer was able to approach. Inside the car, driven by Ivana Gómez, 33, he detected "a strong smell of alcohol and her manner of speaking was incoherent,” Vega stated.
Gómez refused to take the breathalyzer test at the scene, which forced the authorities to obtain a court order to draw his blood.
A striking scene: Evidence and witnesses
The impact was brutal.
According to NBC Miami, the collision was so violent that “part of the victim's hair was embedded in the BMW's windshield and was found in the front passenger headrest.”
The police report details that Gómez had sped past the officer moments before the incident, not stopping even when the lights and sirens were activated.
"Cars always speed through here. This was to be expected," said a local resident in a statement to Telemundo 51.
From CBS News, even more heartbreaking testimonies were collected.
Mari Cardozo, a resident of the area, lamented the lack of human empathy following the incident: “There is no sense of humanity. They didn’t care. It’s heartbreaking.”
Her neighbor Anyeli Arango expressed the fear that residents feel when walking through those streets: “It's terrifying. To be honest, you step out of the house for a walk and bam! It could be your last.”
Detention, charges, and judicial proceedings
Gómez was arrested at the scene and taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TGK).
There, according to CBS News, he refused to cooperate with the police and requested a lawyer.
Despite this, two blood extractions were performed with judicial authorization, one of which was done by force, as he resisted getting into the fire truck.
Additionally, the agents observed what appeared to be fresh vomit inside the car.
During her appearance before a judge on the Saturday following the incident, she was charged with "leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in death and resisting an officer without violence," reported NBC Miami.
The prosecutor requested a bail of one million dollars, but the judge ultimately set it at 251,500 dollars, revoked her passports, and placed her under house arrest.
A cousin of the victim spoke at the hearing and expressed the deep pain of the family.
"I just want Your Honor to be aware of the bright light that has been lost in this world due to the incredible irresponsibility of this accused," he claimed.
The Miami Police stated that more charges could be brought against Ivana Gómez, depending on the results of the blood tests. Authorities are continuing to investigate the case.
Authorities have expressed concern over the rising number of cases where drivers flee the scene after causing accidents.
"We always remind the community: if you are involved in an accident, do not flee. Now this woman is facing charges for leaving the scene of an accident with a fatality," emphasized Mike Vega.
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