An 82-year-old woman has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash in southwest Miami-Dade that left a 7-year-old boy seriously injured last month, authorities said.
Karina Pubchara-Martinez was taken into custody Monday and charged with leaving the scene of a crash causing serious bodily injury, according to Miami-Dade jail records.
Child Suffered Severe Injuries
The crash occurred Jan. 10 in the 8200 block of Southwest 32nd Street. According to an arrest report, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and found the child injured in a swale.
The boy’s mother told deputies he was riding an electric scooter and attempting to cross Southwest 32nd Street when he was struck by a silver Toyota Camry that fled the area.
He was transported to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital with significant injuries, including an acute head injury, a brain lesion and a broken femur.
Investigation Led to Arrest
Deputies located plastic debris at the scene, including bumper parts consistent with a Toyota Camry. Surveillance video captured a damaged Camry leaving the area shortly after the collision, according to investigators.
On Jan. 22, authorities found a silver Camry parked on Southwest 37th Street with a dented hood and missing front bumper components.
When investigators met with Pubchara-Martinez, the registered owner of the vehicle, she reportedly stated she was driving at the time of the crash and did not report the incident to law enforcement. Cell-site data also placed her at the scene when the crash occurred, the arrest report said.
Pubchara-Martinez later turned herself in and was booked into jail. A judge set her bond at $7,500 and ordered her not to drive.
