Miramar police searching for vehicle owner involved in fatal hit-and-run

MIRAMAR, Fla. ā€“ Miramar police are searching for a South Carolina woman as a person of interest in a deadly hit-and-run crash that killed a man over the weekend.

The crash happened at around 2:15 a.m. Sunday in the 6500 block of Pembroke Road.

Surveillance video captures Silvio Ortega Martinez, walking near South 65th avenue and Pembroke Road when a white Chevy Malibu struck and killed him while refusing to stop.

Suyen Ortega Martinez, Silvioā€™s sister, told Local 10 News that she is left with nothing after the loss of her brother.

ā€œAnd now with this, I am left with nothing, I am left alone,ā€ she said.

According to police, 28-year-old Janae Shaniece Lewis, of North Augusta, South Carolina is the registered driver of the vehicle involved in the crash.

The vehicle involved in the hit-and-run crash has since been recovered.

Martinez had just arrived from Nicaragua about a year ago and was here to make a better living.

His family says he wanted to save money and open his own auto mechanic shop back in his country.

Kevin Raudez, Silvioā€™s brother-in-law, told Local 10 News that Silvio was ā€œmore than a friend, he was a brother.ā€

According to police, Lewis is now driving a silver Chevrolet Malibu with a Georgia license plate of XJH246.

Photo of silver Malibu:

Silver Malibu (Miramar PD)

Lewis was last seen in the Augusta, Georgia, area, according to police.

Ortega Martinezā€™s family has since created a GoFundMe page to assist with funeral expenses.

ā€œOur hearts are grieving the loss of a wonderful human being,ā€ they wrote in a statement on the page.

Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477.


About the Authors:

In January 2017, Hatzel Vela became the first local television journalist in the country to move to Cuba and cover the island from the inside. During his time living and working in Cuba, heĀ covered some of the most significant stories in a post-Fidel Castro Cuba.Ā 

Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG. He was born in Long Island, New York, and has lived in Sunrise, Florida since 1994.