Man arrested in Little Havana hit-and-run that killed 40-year-old man
MIAMI, FL – The driver who had fled the scene after hitting a 40-year-old man, which resulted in his death, was found and arrested on Tuesday, March 19th, Local 10 said.
To recap, this crash happened before 8:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12th, at the Southwest 8th Street and Southwest 8th Avenue intersection. The pedestrian, who was identified as Tomas Brito, was sent to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he passed away.
The hit-and-run driver was identified as 33-year-old Victor Manuel Rubio. An eyewitness who was a passenger in Rubio’s stolen gold BMW came forward to police. The unidentified male passenger told police that he begged Rubio to reduce his speed prior to him striking Brito. He also told Rubio to call the police and said Rubio would not have been at fault for the collision (police later confirmed) since Brito was either jaywalking or walking when he did not have the right of way when he was struck.
Rubio refused to listen to his passenger and took off without headlights, stating he “wasn’t going back to jail.” He refused to listen again when the occupant pleaded with him to let him out of the vehicle because he wanted no part in this hit-and-run. Eventually, Rubio let the unidentified eyewitness and another passenger out.
On the night of the crash, police also spoke to a neighbor who confirmed Rubio’s description, stating he had been acting “suspicious.” There, police also saw the damaged BMV, along with leftover blood on the windshield and Brito’s hair on the windshield.
Miami-Dade Police handcuffed Rubio at his home and took him to jail. Rubio has been in prison three times and convicted of aggravated child abuse, selling, and burglary. Since his arrest, Rubio has been charged with false imprisonment and leaving the scene of a collision that resulted in a fatality.
If you lost a loved one to a motor vehicle crash in the greater Miami area, you could pursue a wrongful death lawsuit if another person was responsible for the collision. Book a free, zero-obligation consultation with our Miami wrongful death lawyers by calling The Pendas Law Firm at 844-200-0000 or submitting a contact form.
