Police release name of 36-year-old man killed in NW Dade hit-and-run
NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE COUNTY — Miami-Dade Police are appealing for the public's help after they said a 36-year-old man was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver early Thursday in northwest Miami-Dade County.
MIami-Dade Police Detective Argemis Colome said Felix Benitez, 36, was in the crosswalk on Northwest 103rd Street at 32nd Avenue when he was struck by a southbound vehicle around 3:45 a.m. The driver sped off without calling 911 or stopping to help him.
He was rushed to the Ryder Trauma Center where he died.
"This is a 36-year-old man who lost his life. We want the community to know that sometimes these things can be an accident. However, you need to stop. You need to call 911. You need to render aid because if it's a car accident and you flee the scene, that's what makes it criminal," Colome told CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench. "That's a very important message to get across because at the end of the day, it's a 36-year-old individual that lost his life and now his family is mourning and that's why we need to get this individual."
"It's all about being human. This person lost his life and again, this could have been an accident. Helping this individual would have only taken seconds, just seconds to call 911. Maybe that could have saved his life. You need to stop and call 911," he added.
Colome said the car may have extensive damage to its front end and front windshield.
He is urging witnesses as well as someone who may have seen the car in a body shop to come forward.
"Our detectives are out there working this case and trying to get surveillance tape, anything that can help us out but at the end of the day it's the community that is our eyes and ears," Colome said.
"If anybody was in the area and saw this accident or anyone who was going home and saw this early in the morning or a car like this parked in the neighborhood or a car that is a dark-colored sedan with damage to the front and front windshield, please call us right away," he added.
Anyone with information that can help should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
There is a reward of up to $5,000.
