Police are investigating a mysterious fiery crash in Miami Shores that left a teen driver dead late Thursday.
The crash happened around 11 p.m. in the area of North Miami Avenue and Northeast 99th Street.
The driver crashed into a tree before the car burst into flames. Miami-Dade Police confirmed the driver was killed.
According to Miami-Dade Police, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle before the crash. During the stop, the officer was distracted by a passerby, and the driver fled.
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As officers canvassed the area for the vehicle, they found the scene of a fiery crash nearby, where the victim was located, police said.
Footage from a nearby home's doorbell camera showed a fireball coming from the car after the impact.
Several witnesses said they either saw or heard a helicopter right above the car and then said an unmarked police cruiser showed up right after the crash happened.
Friends identified the victim as 16-year-old Maikel Cummings.
His friends and family got word of the crash late Thursday night, then learned Friday morning the severity of the crash.
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His teenage friends went to see the site for themselves early Friday morning.
One woman said she was like a mother to Cummings.
"He used to stay in my house and we came over here to see because my son needed closure, I don’t know, we were still in shock, because they really have not identified him but we are putting the pieces together and we believe it is him," Jessica Rivera said.
