Local 10 News reports that a hit-and-run crash is responsible for the death of one woman and the hospitalization of two others. According to the Hialeah Police Department, a hit-and-run crash left one woman dead and two others hospitalized. The crash occurred at about 1 a.m. on Friday near the intersection of East First Avenue and East Ninth Street in Hialeah.
The details of the accident are unclear, and it is still being investigated. What is known is that a 73-year-old woman died at the scene. Two other women were airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital. Their condition was unknown. Police arrested 32-year-old Leandro Leon and charged him with DUI and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.
Both cars were extensively damaged. One of the cars caught fire.
According to the AAA Foundation for Highway Safety, in 2015, there were 737,100 hit-and-run crashes in the United States. This accounted for nearly 12% of all crashes that year. Those crashes resulted in 138,500 injuries and 1,819 fatalities. Pedestrians account for the majority of fatalities in hit-and-run crashes. Hit-and-run crashes are more likely to occur between the hours of midnight and 4 a.m., likely due to the fact that there are fewer likely witnesses on the roadways at the time. Nighttime drivers may also be more likely to be engaged in risky behavior such as reckless driving or driving while under the influence.