Group remembers mom killed by truck in Miami; pedestrian deaths at highest levels
MIAMI - A community of mothers gathered to remember a fellow mom who died after being hit by a truck near downtown Miami.
Along Biscayne Boulevard and 22nd Street, a memorial sits in remembrance of Jaklin Sabag, the mother was walking her 8-month-old baby in a stroller when she was hit by a truck and killed.
"I can't think about the baby. I can't," said Laura Espejo, from the group mothers of Margaret Pace Park.
A community of mothers in the Edgewater neighborhood gathered to lay flowers and light candles for Sabag.
Sabag was a mother of three who died just blocks away from her home.
Her infant son is still in the hospital.
"I think it was really tragic for all of us who kept seeing how heartbreaking it was. It could be any of us. As everyone knows, that this is a busy, busy street. Especially during this time right now. As you can see. I think the whole group was shaken. And I'm really glad we can all come together today to remember her," said Alexandra Paz, from the group mothers of Margaret Pace Park.
The Miami Police Department says that Sabag was not walking in the crosswalk.
"Now looking at the footage, she had crossed where she was not supposed to cross. She didn't go through the pedestrian crosswalk. She actually walked between two cars. And she was right underneath the truck which means the driver had no vision of her," Michael Vega, Miami Police Department Public Information Officer.
Miami police say this happens more often than you may think.
In 2023, the traffic homicide unit responded to 65 cases of crashes involving pedestrians, 28 of which were fatal.
Jaywalking is not illegal in Florida, but you can be cited for it and forced to pay a fine.
"We have certain areas in the city of Miami where we've actually established either a pedestrian light or some of these flashing lights we see. We have to adhere to them and we have to pay attention that if there's somebody in the intersection about to cross you have to yield the right of way to the pedestrian," said Vega.
US pedestrian deaths are at their highest levels in more than 40 years, that's according to the Governors Highway Safety Association.
The report ranks Arizona and Florida in the top spots for having high rates.