A week after a deadly hit-and-run in Miami's Little Havana, authorities have cuffed a suspect with a heavy criminal past. Victor Manuel Rubio, 33, faces charges for the incident which resulted in the death of a 40-year-old man, identified as Tomas Brito, brother of a prominent local school principal.
The tragedy unfolded on March 12 just before 8:40 p.m., according to Local 10. Rubio, in a gold BMW, allegedly sped down Southwest Eighth Street when he struck Brito, who was crossing the road midblock. Rubio then "immediately turned off his headlights" and fled, police said, leaving the victim to die from his injuries at a nearby hospital.
Following the incident, a shredded windshield and blood splatter marked the abandoned BMW, found the next morning outside a Flagami home. A description of a man acting "suspicious" the previous night, spotted near the vehicle, led to Rubio's identification. On Friday, NBC Miami reported that a witness, claimed to be a passenger in the BMW, came forward to the police detailing the harrowing moments before and after the crash.
This witness asserted that Rubio disregarded his pleas to decelerate and after the collision, coerced him to stay in the car against his will. Rubio, having three stints in prison to his name for various offenses like selling, burglary, and aggravated child abuse, is quoted as saying he "wasn't going back to jail." He purportedly hatched a plan to report the BMW as stolen but did not sway the witness, who later distanced himself from the incident.
Rubio was arrested on Tuesday morning at his residence in Miami on counts of leaving the scene of a crash causing death and false imprisonment. He is yet processed in jail, reports Local 10.
In an emotional statement to NBC Miami, Tomas Brito's brother Humberto, known for his role as the Nautilus Middle School principal, extended his thanks to law enforcement and the community for their assistance during this trying time for his family.
