Boy, 15, killed in SW Miami-Dade crash; girl, 14, hospitalized
MIAMI - A deadly crash temporarily shut down a section of Miller Drive near SW 117th Avenue in Southwest Miami-Dade early Wednesday morning.
Neighbor Ed Fernandez told CBS News MIami's Peter D'Oench, "It sounded like a train hit someone. I thought someone must have been killed."
According to Miami-Dade police, it began when they received a call of a suspicious vehicle and were given a description of an Audi.
"Once officers were in the area, they were able to see a vehicle that matched the description on Miller traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed. As the officer tried to get closer to further investigate, at one point he did turn on his emergency equipment, however immediately thereafter the driver lost control of the vehicle ( around 3 a.m.) striking one of the concrete pillars that are under the overpass of the Turnpike causing that car to flip to its side," said Miami-Dade police spokesman Alvaro Zabaletta.
The 15-year-old male driver was killed.
"The passenger is a 14-year-old female who was transported to the trauma center and listed in critical condition, fighting for her life while she undergoes surgery," said Zabaleta.
Investigators believe the teens were in the area either dropping off or visiting other acquaintances.
Residents who live in the area believe the road itself played a contributing factor in the crash.
"Everybody comes over that bridge going 60-70 miles an hour," said Ed Fernandez. "I think the police need to put some speed traps there to slow these people down over that bridge because they go up and then it curves. People don't take the curves well and then their cars slide."
Zabaleta said this tragic incident should be a life lesson for teen drivers and their parents.
"We urge parents to please speak to your adolescents, speak to your teenagers, to drive in the state of Florida is a privilege. Once you have a license, and you're driving a vehicle that's 3,000 pounds, and you add speed to it, it's a formula to disaster. The importance of wearing seat belts and driving at the speed limit is very important because as we've always said, speed kills. So please talk to your kids," said Zabaleta.
Zabaleta said it appears the 15-year-old was driving his mother's car. He said she had "no clue" that he had taken the car. He said it is not known if the driver had a learner's permit or if the teenagers were wearing their seatbelts. It is also not known why they were out so late at night. Zabaleta said an investigation may be able to determine how fast their car was going.
He said drivers have to be careful. He said. "He could have impacted other innocent persons and taken other innocent lives."
The victims' friends and family members were seen embracing at the scene. They said they did not want to say anything right now.
Police said they did not expect to release their names because of their ages.