Miami police are asking the public to help identify a driver who hit a pedestrian pushing an electric scooter early Tuesday and drove away from the scene. The crash happened just before 6 a.m. along Northwest Seventh Avenue at 27th Street.
Surveillance video from Luxury Custom Garage shows the man crossing mid-block when a vehicle strikes him and throws him into the air. Police said the man, about 30, was found unresponsive but breathing. He was taken in critical condition to Ryder Trauma Center, and police said he is expected to make a full recovery.
An officer who was fueling up across the street heard screeching tires and a loud bang and reached the scene right after the impact. Investigators said the man was crossing with a woman who was pushing a bicycle.
Officer Mike Vega, a Miami Police spokesperson, said the pedestrians were crossing outside a crosswalk. He said the driver did not stop to render aid. Investigators are looking for a black or dark-colored sedan or SUV with heavy front-end and windshield damage.
Vega said a driver who stays at the scene would likely face only traffic citations in a crash like this. Leaving an injured person behind, he said, turns the case into a felony.
Anyone with information about the vehicle or driver is urged to call Miami Police or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS (8477).
