Hit & Run Victim’s Family Begs for Help

The family of a man who was run over in the street and left to die made an emotional plea Friday hoping someone would come forward with information about the death.

“We don’t know who hit him, why. They left him in the street to die as road kill,” said Evelyn Guzman.

Joseph Williams, 63, was hit last Friday a little after 12:30 p.m. His family said Williams had just gotten off a bus in South Dade near 147th Avenue and 280th Street and was heading to the library. Guzman, Williams’ sister, said the family wants to know why the driver just kept going.

“It is not necessary for someone to hit and run. We just be people, accidents happen. Just stop and assist. Call the police. Call an ambulance. Just don’t let them sit there like a dog on the street,” Guzman said. “We’re human beings. We need a little more respect than that.”

Miami-Dade Police said the car involved was a black Chevrolet Impala, possibly a 2007-2011 model, and it likely has front end damage. Police said any body shops that have a car come in matching the description should call the Miami-Dade Police Homicide Unit.

Police said the bus was too far away to give them any useful video of Williams when he was struck.

“Other people have to know something about what happened,” said Williams’ niece Candice Batton. “Even if the car had to get fixed, something, somebody knows something.”