Woman, 75, Won't Face Criminal Charges In Deadly Miami Beach Outdoor Cafe Crash
MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami/AP) — A 75-year-old woman who crashed her car into a Miami Beach restaurant's outdoor patio, killing one man and injuring eight others, will not face any criminal charges.
Miami Beach police told CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald there were no signs that the woman was impaired on February 24th when she crashed into the Call Me Gaby sidewalk cafe as she tried to parallel park.
The woman "suddenly accelerated in reverse," ran over a curb and hit a parked car before crashing into a table with five diners and hitting nearby pedestrians, police said. Her beige 1990 Bentley then trapped people underneath as it knocked over a traffic sign and hit a tree.
Workers and patrons at the restaurant worked to lift the car off of people.
Gary Prince, 67, of Miami Beach died at a hospital shortly after the crash, according to police. Two men, 78 and 61, were seriously injured, five others suffered less serious injuries, and a child suffered minor injuries.
Miami Beach Police spokesperson Ernesto Rodriguez said the investigation is continuing and the driver could face traffic citations.
The driver was operating the car in a "careless or negligent manner," the police report said, and it wasn't the first time: Court records show she was cited in Broward County in 2015 for driving on the wrong side of a divided highway and paid a $165 fine after pleading guilty.
(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
