Police Hunt For Driver In Miami Bus Stop Hit-And-Run
MIAMI (CBS4) -Police are looking for a man who they said was behind the wheel of an SUV that hit a 91-year-old man leaving him in critical condition.
Police named Andres Calero Bravo, 36, as the wanted man in connection with the incident. Bravo was first labeled as the "person of interest" in the case.
Meanwhile, Luciano Medina remains in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital after Bravo's SUV slammed into him at a Miami bus stop.
Friends of Medina believe he was on his way to visit his wife in a nursing home when the accident happened.
Surveillance video from a Miami-Dade transit bus shows Medina standing patiently waiting to board at 40th Avenue and Flagler Street when suddenly a Toyota 4Runner careened off the road, onto the sidewalk, and hit him.
Immediately after the accident Bravo can be seen talking to the bus driver who is on a cell phone. He then got out of the vehicle and used the commotion of the crowd to walk away from the scene on foot. Police are now searching for him.
"He's got stitches from the front to the back, his pelvis is broke," said Al Soto. "They're trying to stabilize his hear and his kidneys are starting to fail."
Soto has been Medina's friend and landlord of 17 years. He visited Medina in the hospital on Wednesday and said Medina recognized him but wasn't able to speak. Soto added that Medina is fighting for his life; in addition to his injuries he's also having trouble with his kidneys.
Soto said he can't believe this happened to such a good man. He described Medina as a devoted husband who visits his ailing wife of 50 years every single day in her nursing home.
Rodolfo Caballero, a nephew of Medina's 102 year old wife, said she has been in the nursing home for about two years because Medina could no longer care for her. He said Medina visited her daily at the home.
Mercedes Cooper, one of Medina's neighbors, said he's a caring man and while the couple never had children of their own, he looked after everyone in his apartment building.
"He's a father figure, grandfather to everyone here. He helps everyone out, gives everyone a chance," said Cooper who can't believe someone would hit him and then not look back. "It makes me angry that someone could just do that and get up and leave. How could you do that? That could've been your father, your grandfather, your uncle."
Anyone with information on Andres Calero Bravo's whereabouts is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS or send a text message to CRIMES and enter CSMD followed by the "tip".
