Miami Gardens police are searching for a driver who took off after a deadly early-morning crash that left a 33-year-old man dead in the street at Northwest 167th Street and 30th Avenue. Officers said they found the victim, identified as Robelto Antonio Osborne Jr., lying in the roadway just before 7 a.m. on Feb. 23 after he was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene. Detectives said they are canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses and evidence while they work to track down the car and its driver.
Family pleads for answers; tips requested
Those details, along with a public plea from Osborne’s mother, were shared with WPLG Local 10. Cynthia Bradley told the station, "It’s hurtful. It’s very disappointing to know that someone would take someone’s life."
Police are asking anyone who knows anything about the crash or the vehicle involved to call Detective H. Diaz at 305-474-1602 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477. Authorities say a reward of up to $5,000 is available for tips that lead to an arrest and conviction.
What the law says
Under Florida law, a driver who leaves the scene of a crash that results in death can face felony charges and lose their license. Florida Statutes, as published by the Florida Senate, require drivers to stop and remain at the scene of a crash that causes death. A willful violation can be prosecuted as a first-degree felony with mandatory minimum prison terms in certain circumstances. The precise charges in this case would depend on the evidence investigators are able to develop.
How investigators build a case
Detectives typically go door to door looking for witnesses and pull video from businesses, doorbell cameras, and dash cams to piece together what happened and identify vehicles near the scene. In a separate Miami Gardens investigation, surveillance video helped authorities reconstruct a deadly collision, as reported by NBC 6 South Florida. Anyone who was in the Northwest 167th Street and 30th Avenue area on Feb. 23 is urged to check any recordings from that morning and contact police if they find anything that might help.
Miami Gardens police say they will follow any lead that might point them toward the vehicle or the driver behind the wheel. Tips can be submitted anonymously and may qualify for the reward the department has offered.
