'She Might Still Be Alive': Police Search For Driver Who Hit, Left Woman In Miami Lakes
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A woman found dead on a Miami Lakes street has prompted a hit and run investigation.
Miami-Dade Police Detective Lee Cowart told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "We are treating this as a hit-and-run accident. We believe the victim was 26 years old."
The body of the woman was found face down near a gutter at the intersection of Miami Lakes Drive and Fairway Drive that is near the Palmetto Expressway.
Authorities identified the victim as 26-year-old Tatum Holloway, who was visiting South Florida from Michigan.
Police received a call about the incident around 2:30 a.m.
According to authorities, the woman was attempting to cross Fairway Drive in the designated crosswalk when she was stuck.
Cowart said detectives are looking for a silver Mercedes-Benz Class C 2009 to 2014 model with possible right front or passenger side damage.
An employee at a nearby 24-hour McDonald's restaurant on Miami Lakes Drive told CBS4 she believes she saw the victim before the accident. A McDonald's bag was discovered at the scene.
Tanya Dodd, who has lived in an apartment near the intersection for several years, said she is horrified by the accident.
"I think this was a horrible thing," she said. "She might still be alive if she was struck by someone and they did stop but they did not stop. This is just horrible. Maybe if she was still living, they could have rendered assistance or at the very least they could have called 911. In a situation like that, everyone and I mean everyone, needs to stop immediately and give assistance."
Dodd said, "That is a human life. For whatever reason, whoever hit her did not stop and there is no reason for this. There is no excuse for this. I hope they find whoever did this. Miami Lakes is a small and quiet community."
One resident said this is a normally quiet area and he was very shocked to see something like this happen.
"I was approaching my house and I saw something happening in the corner and everything happened so suddenly," said German Perez. "I heard police coming from everywhere."
He went on, "I saw the person laying in the middle of the corner, close to the waterhole you know. That doesn't happen normally here…It was terrible for me to see the person dead."
A source said the victim may not be from South Florida. She has not been identified.
Police are urging more witnesses to come forward.
Anyone with information that can help should call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
