Man speaks with detectives about Liberty City hit-and-run

Multiple people injured in Saturday morning crash

MIAMI ā€“ A man whose car is believed to have struck multiple people early Saturday before taking off spoke with detectives Monday morning.

Jose Calzadilla's attorney told reporters outside the police station that the car is registered to his client, but would not say whether Calzadilla, 30, was behind the wheel.

"I think the evidence is going to show that they have the wrong guy if they try to pin it on him," Yoel Molina said. "I think at this moment police, to their credit, are trying to be very diligent and do a thorough investigation before they take someone into custody, and as a sign of good faith, we are here to try to see if we can work it out and, if not, we'll have our day in court."

According to police, witnesses notified officers that a Chevrolet was illegally parked in the middle of Northwest 17th Avenue in Liberty City about 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

Some of the passengers got out of the vehicle and went into a liquor store. As they returned to get back into the vehicle, surveillance video captured a Mercedes-Benz rear-ending them.

"I got a broken collarbone," victim Shekita Lashawnda Frank, 25, told Local 10 News reporter Michael Seiden in a telephone interview from her hospital bed. "I got bruises all over my back. I got all my toes broke."

Perrisha Jean was another victim.

"As they were putting their legs in, the car just smashed us from the back," she told Local 10. "He's an animal. He has no heart."

Calzadilla has not been arrested, but police said they believe that he is responsible for the crash.

"All the evidence so far leads to him," Officer Rene Pimentel said. "We're not going to try him right now. We're going to try him in the court of law like he should be."

Police said the state attorney's office will decide whether to file charges against Calzadilla.


About the Authors:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.