Woman hospitalized after allegedly causing mayhem on U.S. 1 in Miami

Video appears to show Donna Olmsted, 54, speeding away after crash

MIAMI ā€“ A South Florida woman was hospitalized Thursday morning after witnesses said she was driving recklessly on U.S. Route 1 in Miami.

The driver, Donna Olmsted, 54, is accused of crashing her red Jeep into a Maroon Camry about 8 a.m. on U.S. 1 near Southwest 16th Avenue.

Calev Jimenez started recording just moments after he said the same Jeep narrowly missed him.Ā 

"I see this car coming from the left, it was a red Jeep Cherokee that almost hit me, so I looked at it and I said, 'My God, this woman is going to hit the guy in front of me,'" Jimenez said.

The cars involved seemed to pull over as usual after a crash until Olmsted appeared to drive away.

"She just put the car in reverse and backed up," Jimenez said.

The video shows the driver of the Jeep making a sharp right turn over curbs and a median, seemingly out of control.Ā 

"One of the ladies who tried to stop her, I mean she almost ran her over," Jimenez said.

Jimenez believed this was a case of a hit-and-run, but Miami police investigated it as a traffic crash.

Police said Olmsted hit three cars before crashing into a small tree on the corner of Southwest 14th Avenue and 23rd Terrace, nearly two blocks away from the initial scene.

Police cited her for careless driving and she was taken to Mercy Hospital.Ā 

"You could see her eyes -- they didn't look like she had a good sleep," Jimenez said.

Police did not initially see Calev's video during their investigation and it's unclear whether officers looked at any other witness videos. Whatever the reasons behind the crashes, Calev said he hopes his video can help hold the driver accountable.Ā 

"She caused a lot of damage -- she could've killed anybody," he said.


About the Author:

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.