CBS4 Exclusive: Police Catch Teen Accused In Fatal Hit & Run After He Failed To Turn Self In
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CORAL SPRINGS (CBSMiami) – Coral Springs police say Gregory Holt was supposed to turn himself in Friday afternoon to be formally charged in the hit and run death of Charlie Ruiz.
However, police said Holt never turned himself in, causing detectives to spend the night searching for him.
Investigators said Holt stole a car from a home that was being rented through Airbnb, took the car for a joyride and hit and killed Charlie Ruiz.
The accident happened in late September near Sample Road and State Road 7.
A police crime scene photo from the crash shows Ruiz's smashed up car. It also shows the BMW that Holt is alleged to have driven resting on its hood.
Investigators said Holt was texting while driving and failed to negotiate a turn.
The family of Charlie Ruiz said Ruiz was a dedicated father and that Holt needs to be held accountable.
"I would like him to turn himself in because there's nothing that can be done at this moment to change anything that happened in the past," said Deb Ruiz, Charlie Ruiz's sister-in-law.
Investigative documents reveal that after the deadly crash, Holt apparently borrowed a cellphone from a witness, logged into several of his social media accounts and fled.
Police also said that Holt not only failed to remain on scene and call police for help but the arrest report says, "He actively sought out a means of departure by asking a person who was unknown to him for use of his phone and called for a taxi cab to retrieve him from a nearby location."
Charlie Ruiz's family wonders what would have happened had Holt tried to get help.
"If there was a chance to be given, Charlie didn't get one," Deb Ruiz said. "That's what I think hurts the most."
Police finally caught Holt late Friday night. They said he was leaving his girlfriend's house in Boca when detectives stopped him in Broward. During the traffic stop, authorities took him into custody.
Court documents show that Holt will be charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of an accident causing death and grand theft auto.
