A man accused in a Miami hit-and-run crash that killed a 76-year-old woman across the street from her Liberty City apartment has been arrested, according to police.
Rodrick Davis Jr., 33, has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death.
On Monday morning, around 8 a.m., Koritza Ortiz, a beloved mother and grandmother, was crossing NW 7 Avenue at 60th Street when a driver hit her and fled the scene, Miami police said.
“This is a great example of the work put in by the men and women of the traffic homicide unit. The work diligently on each and every one of their cases. It’s a gratifying feeling to be able to tell the family of that victim that the person responsible for killing their mother, or their grandmother, has since been placed behind bars,” Miami Police Department Public Information Officer Kiara Delva said after the arrest.
How the arrest came about
Using parts of the vehicle left behind after the crash and a witness description, police were able to determine it was a white GMC SUV, from model years 2018 to 2023. The witness was also able to provide investigators with a description of the driver.
Surveillance video from the area on the morning of the crash showed a white GMC Terrain traveling at a high rate of speed before striking Ortiz and then continuing north on NW 7 Avenue, according to investigators.
A search was conducted and a vehicle that matched the description, including the front end damage described by the witness, was located.
Police identified Davis as the driver, which was confirmed when the witness picked his picture out of a photo line-up on Tuesday. Davis was taken into custody early Wednesday morning and charged.
“This is a great example of the work put in by the men and women of the traffic homicide unit. The work diligently on each and every one of their cases. It’s a gratifying feeling to be able to tell the family of that victim that the person responsible for killing their mother, or their grandmother, has since been placed behind bars,” Delva said after the arrest.
Family reacts to arrest
CBS News Miami spoke with the victim’s daughter and son on Wednesday afternoon.
Arliette said, “I have relief. I am very glad and very happy they caught him. My mom was everything to us. She was our whole world. She was a loving mom. She was a great-grandmother. She was amazing.”
“I think if he would have stopped and called 911, she would still be alive.”
“I am very grateful for all the work that police did and they worked so hard and so fast and I want to thank the public because the eyewitness came forward and identified this person. I think he should be brought up to justice because it was heartless what he did. You just don’t hit a person and keep going.”
The victim’s son, Daniel Garcia Ortiz said, “My reaction is thanks to the hard work by the city of Miami police department and the public so we were able to find this individual.”
“I am just relieved that justice can be served for my mother. I am glad and relieved. This will help our family have closure.”
“Words can’t put into context how much she meant to us. She was our mother, our grandmother. She was the matriarch of our family. I just want this person to know the pain you caused our family. You have to stay. You have to slow down and pay attention to the road.”
The family set up a crowdfunding website to generate funds to pay for burial and other expenses in the wake of Koritza’s death.
