A South Florida family is reeling after a hit-and-run crash left a woman dead and her husband seriously injured near the Pompano Beach shoreline Friday night.
Sal and Patricia Marciante were crossing Atlantic Boulevard after dinner with their daughter and granddaughter when a pickup truck struck them, according to authorities.
Patricia was rushed to the hospital, where she died from internal injuries. Sal remains hospitalized with multiple injuries, including a broken leg, shattered ankle and brain trauma.
“This has shattered our family,” said Antonio Marciante, Sal’s brother, who has been by his bedside since the crash. “They were always together, best friends. These were supposed to be their best years in retirement.”
Driver accused of fleeing the scene while impaired
Broward Sheriff’s deputies arrested Ashley Bowman, the alleged driver of the pickup truck, who they said fled after striking the couple. According to an arrest report, Bowman “accelerated, striking both victims without stopping.”
When deputies caught up with her, she showed “signs of impairment… bloodshot and glassy eyes,” the report said.
Bowman appeared in Broward bond court Sunday, where a judge ordered her held without bond on a charge of DUI manslaughter.
A family in mourning
Court records show Bowman has a history of impaired driving. She was arrested in North Carolina in 2011 and sentenced on a driving while intoxicated charge.
Meanwhile, Sal Marciante remains unaware that his wife has died. His brother said he is still talking about their future plans.
“They were planning a trip to Palermo,” Antonio Marciante said. “He told me, ‘Don’t forget about the trip.’ My heart just broke.”
The family has hired a private investigator as they seek justice for Patricia.
