Miami

Teen Pedestrian Hurt in Hit-and-Run Crash: MDPD

A 15-year-old is recovering after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in northwest Miami-Dade Monday morning.

Witnesses told Miami-Dade Police the teen was crossing Northwest 22nd Avenue in the 7900 block at 6:24 a.m. in the crosswalk when a driver, who had the green light, crashed into the teen while traveling southbound. The driver of the vehicle drove away.

The teen, later identified as Javier Valdes, was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical but stable condition.

Valdes and his brother were catching a connecting bus from Miami Beach to the SLAM Academy near Marlins Park, where Valdes is a sophomore on the basketball team.

"The driver did have the right-of-way at the time of the incident, but as always, the driver, just stay on the scene and cooperate with the police. Things turn out better that way," said Det. Jennifer Capote with MDPD.

Valdes' brother said, "The next thing I know, I turned and saw my brother flying through the air." Witnesses said there's no way the driver didn't know he hit someone.

Police are looking for a newer model, silver, four-door Mercedes C-Class. The investigation revealed the vehicle should have front-end damage and possible windshield damage.

Police recovered broken pieces of a Mercedes car hood emblem from the scene of the crash.

"We want to bring forward whoever did this and took off, and left this child without rendering any aid," Capote explained.

Anyone with information should contact Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at (305) 471-TIPS.

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