Mom says daughter in critical condition after cars crash into NW Miami-Dade church
MIAMI - New surveillance video shows some stunning images as two cars crash into a Northwest Miami-Dade church early Thursday morning.
A security camera from the New Solid Rock Missionary Baptist Church shows the moment of impact, as an orange Dodge Challenger slams into the church at 12:54 a.m. on N.W. 22nd Ave. just south of 91st Street.
Authorities say four people were injured and rushed to the Ryder Trauma Center.
Shaglavia Johnson told CBS News Miami's Teri Hornstein that her 21-year-old daughter Ashanti Scott was being rushed into emergency surgery after suffering a broken neck and was in critical condition.
She says she received a call at about 1 in the morning and rushed to the hospital where she says she spoke with her daughter before her surgery.
She said her daughter was in the Dodge Challenger.
She said, "They told me my daughter had been an accident and didn't realize how serious it was until I got here. Something went wrong with my daughter in the back seat. The young lady who was driving had a broken leg. The guy had bruises on his face."
She broke down as she said, "My daughter bore the brunt of it."
She said at the hospital, "She spoke a few words to me. I just let her know that I love her and she just told me Mommy I don't think I am going to make it. That's all she kept saying and I told her you are going to make it."
The church also shared new video with CBS News Miami that showed damage inside the church.
CBS News Miami's Peter D'Oench spoke with acting pastor Vinette Lamb who said her family founded the church on N.W. 22nd Ave. at 91st St. in the 1970s.
She said, "I am so deeply sorry to hear about those who were injured and I have informed the Congregation and families to pray for them, to pray for those injured in this accident."
Miami-Dade police have not said what caused this accident but pastor Lamb and other neighbors said there was a lot of speeding in the area.
Lamb said, "Speeding is a factor in this area and All I can say is life is very valuable and precious to God and for the sake of peoples' lives, I would say slow it down."
Nearby business owner Tamekia Daniels said part of another building near N.W. 92nd St. on N.W. 22nd Ave. had been boarded up since last November when another car drove into it.
She said, "This is devastating what happened to this church today. I am sitting here here at work and I constantly hear boom from all the accidents I would say at least twice a week. They are speeding up and down the street. You would think with all the construction they would slow down. It's like a drag race."
"Slow down," she said. "There are people, there are children in the area. If you are driving, leave early and slow down and be careful."
CBS News Miami asked Miami-Dade Police if they knew how many accidents there had been in the area in the past few years and they were looking into that.
They also say if people feel they have seen more accidents than normal in their areas they should reach out to police and they would see what they could do to help.
