Shekina Dellmar-Donaldson, 68, was struck and killed by a car just before midnight on September 21 while walking on NW 199th Street in Miami Gardens, and the driver kept going. Police say they are now hunting for a gray 2022 to 2025 Tesla Model Y or Model 3 with an unknown tag that likely has front passenger-side damage, along with a missing wheel well trim and plastic cover.
Dellmar-Donaldson's family is demanding answers about what happened that night. Her brother, Arthur Dellmar, said the family is trying to find out what happened to her, according to WSVN. Her sister, Cupid Everett, told the station that the vehicle hit Dellmar-Donaldson and kept going, leaving her in the roadway without any aid.
Miami Gardens Police are asking anyone with information about the vehicle or its driver to come forward as the hit-and-run investigation remains ongoing. Dellmar-Donaldson's body is being handled by Wright Funeral Home, per the station's report.
A Local Legacy Beyond the Neighborhood
Dellmar-Donaldson was known for being deeply active in her community and involved with local schools, the outlet reported. Her brother said she had done multiple things in the neighborhood over the years, a legacy that extended well past casual volunteering.
She founded and served as president of KINAD, Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit incorporated in Florida in July 2001 and recognized as tax-exempt in April 2002. The organization operates a traveling mobile museum dedicated to African American history and youth education across the state, and Dellmar-Donaldson worked directly on that traveling exhibit, which brought Black history programming into South Florida schools. KINAD's board includes Dr. Sandra Thompson Smith, an educator who served as interim president of Florida Memorial University from 2009 to 2011, according to Piney Grove Academy — a detail that underscores how deeply the nonprofit was embedded in the region's educational institutions.
What Investigators Are Looking For
The search centers on a specific vehicle: a gray Tesla Model Y or Model 3 from the 2022 through 2025 model years, with damage to the front passenger side and possibly missing wheel well trim and a plastic cover, all according to the Miami Gardens Police Department's description relayed by the station. Miami Gardens operates a 24/7 automated red-light camera program, according to the City of Miami Gardens.
Miami-Dade County's Vision Zero Action Plan discusses traffic safety, according to a plan published by Miami-Dade County.
Steep Penalties Await an Arrest
If the driver is identified and convicted, Florida law treats leaving the scene of a fatal crash as a first-degree felony. Under Florida Statute § 316.027(2)(c), the offense carries up to 30 years in state prison and a mandatory license revocation of at least 3 years, according to the Sammis Law Firm.
Sharing Information
Anyone with information can contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers, as reported by CBS News.
The driver who struck Dellmar-Donaldson remains unidentified, and her family is left waiting for answers.
