Cops: Drunk Singer Killed Cyclist, Fled Scene
Rising star ran over man and kept driving: police
By JEFF BURNSIDE and BRIAN HAMACHER
Updated 6:32 AM EDT, Tue, Jan 19, 2010
A Miami musician has been arrested for the deadly hit and run accident that left a cyclist dead on the Rickenbacker Causeway near Key Biscayne, police said.
Carlos Bertonatti, 28, an on-the-rise musician originally from Venezuela, was allegedly driving his silver Volkswagen Jetta early Sunday morning when he hit 44-year-old Christopher Lecanne, who was riding his bike in the bike lane, according to police.
Rather than stop, Bertonatti kept driving, with Lecanne's bike still under his care, police said. After a short chase, cops caught up to Bertonatti, who was arrested at the scene.
Lecanne was taken to Ryder Trauma Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Bertonatti was charged with vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident. He was still being held as of this afternoon.
Bertonatti, who less than two years ago signed a recording contract with Sony, has been making quite a name for himself as a singer/songwriter, playing shows throughout Miami after moving here several years ago.
His album "Times Are Good" was released in September 2008 and currently ranks #104,617 in MP3 albums downloaded.
First Published: Jan 18, 2010 12:50 PM EDT
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