Family Furious Over Sentence Given To Driver In Deadly Dania Beach Hit & Run
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
DANIA BEACH (CBSMiami) – A man accused of running down two boys in Dania Beach, leaving one for dead and the other critically injured, learned his fate in court today.
The parents Apollo Brown are angry at the sentence handed down to Zachary Benjamins who was convicted of running over and killing the 8-year-old boy.
After suffering the pain of losing a child, they feel that they have lost justice for their child.
"You left my kids to die. My baby is gone forever," Selena Brown said.
Selena Brown cannot believe the driver who hit and killed her son Apollo, and injured her other son Kelvron Florence before driving away, will only spend seven and a half years in prison for the crimes.
During a lengthy and emotional sentencing hearing Thursday, Kelvron testified about his extensive injuries from the crash in December 2014.
Brown and her husband, Apollo Sr., told the judge about the pain they've been forced to live with.
"His actions have torn us to pieces," Apollo Sr. said.
"He has took part of my life away from me. My eyes are heavy, filled with tears and my heart aches. I'm angry, hurt sad and broken," Brown said.
Benjamins read a letter he wrote saying he is sorry for what he did.
"For the last 556 days, not one of those days has gone by that I don't think about my choices and how they impacted your lives," he said.
Investigators said Benjamins hit the boys on a dark road in Dania Beach that did not have sidewalks and then he sped away. They added he tried to get the car fixed to cover up the crash.
Benjamins blamed his then-girlfriend for convincing him to try and get the car repaired and failing to come forward.
Prosecutors asked for a 30-year prison sentence, but Judge Elizabeth Scherer sentenced Benjamins to seven and a half years.
Brown broke down in tears in the courtroom.
"He took Apollo's life away from him. He get to enjoy his freedom. I just want my baby back," she said.
Once Benjamins finishes his prison sentence, he'll lose his driver's license for 10 years. But all of that is little consolation for the family of Apollo Brown.
