FHP: Driver Involved In Killing Of Child At Homestead Flower Stand Turns Himself In
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The Florida Highway Patrol said the person who lost control of his vehicle last Valentine's Day, plowing into a flower stand and killing a child in Homestead has turned himself in to authorities on Thursday afternoon.
The driver was identified as 42-year-old Hanksabell Amargos.
CBS4 cameras captured Amargos racing into FHP headquarters in sweetwater with a hoodie pulled over his head, saying nothing.
Amargos is being charged with vehicular homicide for the death of 2-year-old Anthony DeLeon Rojo.
FHP says Amargos was taken to the jail to be booked.
The little boy was with his mom and dad in a roadside tent selling valentine's day gifts on the side of dixie highway and 300th street in Homestead on Valentine's Day when his devastated mom heard a car coming toward them. She spoke to us a few days after it happened.
"His back tires were (make noise) going like that and I saw the going like that I saw the car going out of control. Everything happened like this," said Judy Rojo.
The Florida Highway Patrol tells us Amargos was behind the wheel of a dodge charger hellcat when he lost control.
"The vehicle collided into the two-year-old toddler that was standing there with his family. The toddler became trapped under the vehicle where he was dragged several feet into a parking lot area where the vehicle came to rest," said FHP Trooper Alejandro Camacho.
The toddler's frantic mom raced to find him.
"I started like crazy picking up everything because I thought he was under the chair, the table, because everything flew," said Judy.
He was trapped under the car. People nearby raced over, using their hands and whatever they could find to lift the car off the child. Once they got him out he was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late.
"I feel when I go to my room to see my baby or if I go to the kitchen and turn around he's going to be there. But he's not. It's like a nightmare," Judy said.
Amargos was booked into TGK, facing that vehicular homicide charge. He'll likely appear in bond court on Friday.