FHP Officials Raise Awareness About Hit-And-Run Crashes
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Florida Highway Patrol officials held a news conference Wednesday morning to raise awareness about hit-and-run crashes.
They were joined on the podium by a family that does not want to see another family go through this.
Four months later, Nadine Barreau and her sister Franchesca are still in tears and still without answers.
"We need closure, we are still grieving, it has been a roller coaster and it never stops he was left on the road in that early morning to die," said Barreau.
In late October Barreau's 49-year-old brother Pierre Fortin, better known as Pete, had pulled over on I-95 near Pembroke Road to help another driver when he was hit and killed by someone who never stopped. Wednesday his family stood side-by-side with Florida Highway Patrol troopers to spread a message and to show what happens to an entire family when a driver keeps on going.
"We never got to say goodbye to him," said Barreau.
There were over a 100,000 hit and run crashes across the state of Florida last year and more than 200 people were killed, whether it's fear or panic takes over the FHP is trying to raise awareness about why you must stop.
On Wednesday, this family, along with FHP officials spread the message of what happens to a family when a driver keeps on going.
"The consequence of leaving the scene is always worse, it can lead to many years in prison," said Lieutenant Yanko Reyes.
"You as a person will live forever with this that you hit somebody, think about the families that you are affecting," said Barreau.
The Florida Highway Patrol has named February Hit and Run Awareness Month.
