Crimeline Tip Leads to Car Used in Orlando Hit-and-Run

By Orlando Personal Injury Attorney on October 14, 2017

Orlando police and the Florida Highway Patrol were able to significantly advance their investigation into a hit-and-run fatality that occurred earlier this month when they received an anonymous call through the Crimeline service directing them to the location of the vehicle in question. The search for the car began on the 1st of October, after a 58-year-old Boca Raton woman named Margarita Contreras was struck and killed along Orange Blossom Trail. Initial reports on the incident said that Contreras was on foot, looking for a missing wallet in the road just after 1:00 in the morning. Shortly before this, Contreras was involved in an accident with another car. After that accident, both Contreras and the other driver moved their vehicles to a parking lot located nearby to exchange information. At this time, Contreras realized her wallet was missing and, believing it perhaps to be at the site of the initial accident, returned to Orange Blossom Trail to look for the possession.

It was while she was engaged in the search for her wallet that another car came down the road, struck Contreras, and sped away. Contreras was transported to Osceola Regional Medical Center where she died as a result of the injuries sustained in the hit-and-run. Witnesses to the scene described the car in question as best they could to attending officers who then began an all-out search for the vehicle.

Last Tuesday, after receiving the anonymous call, Florida Highway Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Kim Montes was able to confirm that members of the Florida Highway Patrol were able to track down a silver Nissan that is believed to be the vehicle involved in the death of Contreras. The Nissan showed signs of damage to the windshield, hood, and bumper that corresponded to what is typically seen after a collision between a car and a body. According to Sgt. Montes, the trail to the perpetrator of this hit-and-run was completely cold until the tip from the Crimeline came in and directed investigators toward the Nissan. In the concluding words of the statement, Sgt. Montes asked that more citizens would take advantage of the Crimeline’s services in order to assist FHP personnel in the apprehension of hit-and-run perpetrators.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.