CBS4 Exclusive: Lauderhill Police Believe Cars Were Racing, Speeding Just Prior To Deadly Crash
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LAUDERHILL (CBSMiami) – The Lauderhill Police Department believes two cars were racing north on State Road 7 when one of the cars caused a crash that killed a woman near a bus bench and injured nine others, according to a police search warrant filed in Broward County Court.
The warrant also says the cars were driving more than 30 mph over the speed limit.
Surveillance video captured the aftermath of the crash.
The search warrant obtained by CBS4 News reveals that police believe one of the racing cars hit a black Chevy, forcing it onto the sidewalk, where it hit two women. The crash killed Helaine Elize and injured nine other people.
According to the search warrant, "the speed of the gray Acura that hit the Chevy was approximately 84 mph prior to impact" and "the red Dodge was traveling at approximately 70.29 mph prior to avoiding the collision."
The posted speed limit on that stretch of State Road 7 is 40 mph.
CBS4 News went to the addresses listed in the search warrant for the suspected drivers. No one answered at either home.
The driver of the red Dodge, identified in the search warrant as Jerome Johnson, told CBS4 News by phone that he was not racing. The search warrants said Johnson and his attorney told police the same thing and that Johnson surrendered his car.
The search warrant indicates that police are looking at filing vehicular homicide, racing and reckless driving charges against the drivers.
"The gray Acura, operated by Andrew Wallace, and the red Dodge, operated by Jerome Johnson, were operating their vehicles in a reckless manner and endangered the lives and property of the motoring public," the warrant stated.
No criminal charges have been filed at this point.
Investigators wrote in the search warrant that they have about 12 witnesses who said they saw the two cars driving at a high rate of speed in close proximity to one another and traveling in and out of traffic.