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Hialeah Hit & Run Suspect Out Of Jail

MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – The man Hialeah Police said was involved in a hit and run crash that killed a grandmother in the middle of a busy street was released Friday on $10,000 bail.

According to Hialeah Police, Manuel Fernandez was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with injuries for the crash that killed Maria Morales, 78, on Lejeune Road Tuesday evening. Morales was getting off a bus when she was hit and killed.

Hialeah Police said late Thursday night that the charges could be upgraded to vehicular homicide when the investigation is finished.

Police caught a break trying to locate the driver after two men, who asked not to be identified, said they heard the description of the car on the news. The two called CrimeStoppers and said the car in question was at a Hollywood repair shop.

Workers at the repair shop didn't realize the damage was caused by the deadly hit and run.

Hialeah Police Lt. Carl Zogby said Fernandez seemed remorseful after police traced the car's registration to his home.

Fernandez reportedly told police that he did not see Morales on the dark street and panicked when he realized what had happened.

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