Fort Lauderdale

Hit and Run Suspect Asks for Bond Reduction

The family of two brothers who were run down in a hit and run crash saw the person detectives said committed the crime as Zachary Benjamins appeared in court.

“My first reaction was he just did not care,” said Selena Brown, mother of the two victims. “He sat there like he had no worries at all.”

Benjamins is accused of hitting Kelvron Florence, 14, and AJ Brown, 8, last month in Dania Beach. Brown died from the injuries he sustained in the accident while Florence is continuing to fight for his life in the hospital.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office said Benjamins was driving his girlfriend’s Toyota Tacoma when he hit the two kids. Detectives were tipped off to the truck’s whereabouts when the owner of Atlantic Coast Collision in Fort Lauderdale said Benjamins brought the truck in for repair; and it had damage matching the description of the one detectives were searching for after the accident.

Benjamins was being held on $350,000 bond and his attorney argued Thursday that the amount was unreasonable and asked for it to be reduced. Prosecutors urged against lowering the bond, saying that Benjamins might flee to his home state of California, where he’s already on probation for assault.

“He ran over two kids and kept going. So I was not looking for him to show any remorse. I just don’t want him to get a chance to leave Broward County,” said Apollo Brown, the victims’ father.

Benjamins’ family flew in from California, but didn’t speak to reporters. Brown did give an update on her son’s condition.

“Kelvron, he is still hanging in there,” Selena said. “He is fighting. He is fighting the best he can. Each day it gets better; some days it gets worse. But I am just hoping and praying for the best.”

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