MDSO: Man arrested in connection with hit-and-run that left woman injured on Tamiami Trail

Gilberto Ricardo Ruiz. (MDSO)

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies have arrested a Broward County man in connection with a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a woman last month in Miami-Dade County, authorities said.

The crash happened just after midnight on Nov. 6 along Tamiami Trail near the intersection of Southwest 42nd Avenue and Southwest Eighth Street.

Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies said a woman was struck while crossing the street.

According to an arrest report, the suspect was identified as 28-year-old Gilberto Ricardo Ruiz, of Miramar.

Investigators said the victim, Melissa Iris Saldana, was crossing Southwest 42nd Avenue from a Chevron gas station toward a Walgreens while northbound traffic was stopped at a red light.

A vehicle traveling northbound in the southbound turning lane struck her, deputies said.

They said Saldana briefly lost consciousness and later reported being helped to the sidewalk by the driver, who then left the scene without providing information or calling for help.

An arrest report states that Saldana was treated by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and taken to Baptist Health Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables, where she was diagnosed with multiple serious injuries to her spine, neck and ribs.

Investigators said surveillance video from the gas station captured the crash and showed a dark gray Ford Mustang convertible striking Saldana. They said the footage also showed Ruiz briefly assisting her before fleeing the scene.

Detectives later traced the vehicle to a Miami dealership, where it was found with front-end damage “consistent with a pedestrian collision,” according to the report.

Investigators said dealership records and surveillance footage showed Ruiz had access to and was operating the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Authorities also analyzed vehicle infotainment data, traffic cameras and cellphone location records, which they said placed Ruiz and the Mustang along the same route and timeframe as the crash.

On Tuesday, deputies said Ruiz voluntarily surrendered at the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.

Jail records show Ruiz is charged with one count of leaving the scene of a crash causing serious bodily injury.

He remained at TGK on a bond listed as “to be set” as of Wednesday morning.

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About The Author
Ryan Mackey

Ryan Mackey

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