Florida City police say a daytime crosswalk turned into a weapon on May 9, when 51-year-old Tangela Wright allegedly aimed her white Chevrolet Impala at two people and hit one of them. Surveillance video, according to officers, shows the car accelerating through a marked crosswalk at Davis Parkway and Sixth Avenue, striking a male pedestrian. He was hospitalized with fractured ribs and a neck injury, while a second victim managed to avoid serious harm. Prosecutors have now filed attempted felony murder charges, and the case is sitting in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.
Surveillance Shows Impala Surge Into Crosswalk
Investigators say a city pole-mounted camera recorded the whole thing. The footage, as described in a police report and referenced by Local 10, allegedly shows Wright making only a minimal stop at the Sixth Avenue stop sign before she punches the gas and drives into the intersection while two people are in the crosswalk.
According to the arrest report, the female victim told officers that she and Wright had an ongoing history of personal conflict. The video reportedly captures the male victim being thrown into the air by the impact and landing in the roadway, where he was later taken away for medical treatment.
Questioned at City Hall, Booked at County Jail
Public records list Florida City Police Department headquarters at 404 W Palm Drive, and a detective questioned Wright there, according to the city website. Miami-Dade corrections and inmate-release records show that later the same day, correctional officers booked her into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center near Doral.
Prosecutors File Attempted Murder Counts
Court dockets indicate that on Friday prosecutors filed two counts in the case: attempted felony murder with injury and attempted felony murder, according to the Miami-Dade Clerk. Local 10 reported that Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Laura María González-Márques was expected to be assigned to oversee the case. The charges are felonies that shift the matter into circuit court for arraignment and the usual pretrial maneuvering.
What the Charges Mean
Under Florida law, prosecutors typically combine the state’s criminal-attempt statute with one of its murder statutes to bring attempted-murder charges. The framework is laid out in Section 777.04 and Section 782.04 of the Florida Statutes.
If a jury convicts on attempted felony murder, the potential penalties include significant prison time, with the exact exposure tied to the degree of the offense and the level of injury. As with any criminal case, Wright is presumed innocent unless and until the state proves its allegations in court.
What Happens Next
As of Friday, the public docket did not list any bail amount or upcoming court dates. The Miami-Dade Clerk system typically posts case calendars, filings and hearing dates for circuit court matters once they are scheduled.
Defense attorneys usually appear at arraignment and early pretrial hearings, where prosecutors begin to outline their evidence and the judge sets a timeline toward either trial or a possible plea deal. In the meantime, investigators have urged local residents who saw the incident or reviewed the surveillance footage to come forward with any information that could help the ongoing probe.
