One person killed, 2 others hurt during violent crash in SW Miami-Dade
MIAMI -- One person was killed and at least two others were hurt when a pickup apparently ran a stop sign in a Westchester neighborhood, colliding with a van in a wreck that sent debris flying in the air.
Ana Lourdes told CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench that her 30-year-old son Alexi Gonzalez and a 24-year-old co-worker who had just arrived here from Cuba were in the van when it was struck,
Lourdes said "All we can do is pray for the two young men. I came over here to see if there was anything that can be salvaged in the van. It was his assistant who was with him. He was about 24 years old. My son has a company that remodels bathrooms."
She said her son's company installs tiles in bathrooms.
Police said they were in critical but stable condition.
Police were searching for two people who were in the pickup but fled from the scene after the crash, which occurred shortly after 8 a.m. near SW 92nd Avenue and SW 21st Terrace, officials said.
Someone in the pickup was killed during the crash while two others in the work van were rushed for treatment to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, where they were listed in critical but stable condition. The identities of the victims were not immediately released.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said the call was originally received as a vehicle crash into a building
But video from a neighborhood camera showed the westbound pickup running a stop sign before slamming into the southbound van at the traffic intersection.
Live video from the scene showed a large debris filed with vehicle parts strewn over the area.
Police discovered the wreck after being alerted to a robbery at a nearby convenience store at SW 88th Avenue and Coral Way. The store is ironically named "On the Run." On Friday afternoon, Miami-Dade police officers were seen inside the store checking for surveillance tape.
Martin said "At this time there is nothing to indicate that the Miami-Dade schools police officer was pursuing the vehicle. The information we have is that the vehicle fled when it became aware of the officer. The wreckage is pretty horrific so there is a good chance that the people who fled were injured."
Miami-Dade Police detective Andre Martin said, "Thankfully no one else was injured. This happened around 8 o'clock at a time when children are going to school and citizens are going to work. This could have been much worse. This could have been a much more tragic accident."
Neighbor Armando Solana said, "This is disturbing, very disturbing. This is a family neighborhood and this is a Main Street. You should be more cautious."
The robbery suspects fled the area before officers arrived. Police investigating the robbery were searching the neighborhood when they discovered the wreckage.
Investigators were unable to provide a description of the two people who left the area and police asked for the public's help to locate them.
Any with information that can help should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
