911 Call Documents Man Struck Several Times In Fatal Hit & Run
MIAMI-DADE (CBS4) – Miami-Dade Police investigators have released several chilling 911 calls depicting the intense moments after a horrific hit and run crash that left a 53-year-old Miami man dead in the street.
Sergio Soriano, 24, was the first to hit Jose Aviles-Vasquez as he tried to cross a darkened NW 27th Avenue near 115th Street Saturday night around 9:15 p.m.
Soriano watched in horror while on the phone with a 911 dispatcher as several other cars continued to run Aviles-Vasquez over.
Soriano: Somebody just ran him over! I ran the guy over but somebody…he's in the middle of the street!
DISPATCHER: OK, you ran him over?
Soriano: Yeah. Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!
DISPATCHER: OK stay on the line.
Soriano: Can you please park right there! Stop!
Authorities say five to eight other vehicles traveling in the same southbound direction then struck Aviles-Vasquez again. He died on the scene.
Investigators say none of the other cars stopped after they ran over Aviles-Vasquez.
Dispatcher: What happened?
Soriano: Somebody keeps running him over!
Dispatcher: Someone hit him again?
Soriano: Yes they keep running him over! A whole bunch of people. Oh my lord!
Dispatcher: Did that car stop?
Soriano: No it didn't it kept going!
Police said Monday witnesses have provided details on two possible suspect vehicles. Those vehicles include an older model, maroon Honda and a black unknown type of vehicle.
AUDIO: 911 Call (WARNING: Contains Strong Language)
Aviles-Vasquez's family heard the 911 call, including his 18 year old grand-daughter Julia Rivera.
"It kind of made my stomach hurt. I couldn't even talk for about 15 minutes," she told CBS4's Natalia Zea. "You hear somebody screaming and you know you're hitting a bump, how do you not stop?"
She says the call shows Soriano did what he could to help Aviles.
"He stopped, he got out of the car, he did what he could to get my grandpa out of the road so I don't blame him."
But she does blame the County, for failing to fix the streetlights on Northwest 27th Avenue.
"It took my grandfather dying for them to do their job," she cried. "I loved him- he's the only grandpa I knew."
Aviles-Vasquez's common-law wife Gloria Mandez begged for those drivers to come forward and turn themselves in.
"How could other people do that to another human being and just like nothing happened," cried Mandez.
Aviles-Vasquez was a grandfather of 18, and a great-grandfather to seven. Police confirm lighting was a problem at the time of the accident. A business owner nearby said the street lights have been out for more than two months.
Miami-Dade Public Works says the lights were out on 12 blocks of 27th Avenue because the sensors that switch them on at night weren't working. They say they only learned of the issue Thursday when someone complained.
A maintenance company fixed the lights three days later. The day after Aviles-Vasquez was killed.
Police are asking for help from witnesses and still need to identify the makes and models of all of the vehicles that struck Aviles-Vasquez. Investigators also say evidence indicates each vehicle sustained front-end damage.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS.
Aviles-Vasquez's family says they don't have the money to bury him. If you would like to help them with funeral expenses contact Palms Woodlawn Funeral Home and Cemetary at 305-247-4218.
