Family Bares Broken Hearts, Hopes To Catch Hit-And-Run Killer
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Tears flowed in a downtown Miami law office Monday as a family pleaded for the public's help in catching the driver in a fatal hit and run.
"My brother definitely did not deserve what happened to him, and that's why we're here," said Yessinia Barios.
Her brother, 26 year-old Luis Rodriguez's motorcycle broke down on the turnpike northbound near Kendall Drive about 6:15 in the morning Wednesday, July 1st. Someone ran over and killed him, and kept on going.
"He was the best dad you could ever ask for," said Mariana Cruz, Rodriguez's fiancé.
He was the father of their 2-year-old son, Tyler, and stepfather to 4-year-old Brittany.
His mother, Concepcion Correa, attended Monday's news conference, but was too distraught to speak.
"My brother was an exceptional father, an exceptional brother, one of the best people you could ever meet, always trying to help people out," his sister said through her tears.
Rodriguez was on his way to a promising new job at a Honda dealership when he had trouble with his Honda motorcycle and was hit in the moving lane of traffic. The sun had not quite risen.
"I just want answers so I can be able to tell my children what happened to their dad," Cruz said, crying. "It's not fair, to just have left him there, and not be able to give the family closure."
State troopers say there would have been some traffic on the very beginning edge of morning rush hour. Traffic soon backed up for miles on the northbound turnpike as investigators worked the accident. Rodriguez's body was covered with a yellow tarp in the traffic lane and his bike lay on its side on the pavement.
"We know that there are people out there that had to have seen something," his sister said Monday.
If there were witnesses to the young father's death, they have not come forward.
Attorney Alan Goldfarb, representing the family, said he hopes Monday's news conference will spur an "act of conscience" and prompt someone to come forward.
If you saw the hit and run, know anything about it or perhaps have heard something that could be helpful, you're asked to call the Florida Highway Patrol or Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS(8477).
