A Florida woman is facing serious charges after police say she hit and killed a pedestrian, fled the scene, and later tried to downplay the crime by saying the victim was “just a homeless person.”
Ivana Gomez, 32, was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a deadly crash and resisting an officer without violence. She is being held at the Miami-Dade County jail on a $251,500 bond.
The crash happened around 1:15 a.m. Friday in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood. The victim was identified as 41-year-old Katherine Kipnis.
According to a police affidavit, Gomez was driving a BMW when she struck Kipnis with such force that the woman’s head went through the windshield, and her hair was left tangled in the passenger seatbelt, Law&Crime reports.
A police officer saw the crash happen and immediately tried to stop Gomez, but she kept driving until traffic forced her to slow down. When the officer caught up to her, he reported smelling alcohol on her breath. Her eyes were bloodshot, and there was vomit inside the car.
Gomez refused a sobriety test and asked for a lawyer.
At her bond hearing, prosecutors revealed that Gomez allegedly tried to minimize the tragedy by saying, “just a homeless person that I hit” and, “it’s just an accident.”
Gomez denied saying those things, telling the judge: “Your Honor, I never said that. I did not say that whatsoever. That’s false.”
Kipnis’s cousin, Rachel Kipnis, spoke in court and described the heartbreak her family is facing.
“I just want Your Honor to be aware of what a shining light has been taken out of this world by the incredible irresponsibility of this defendant,” she said.
The victim’s father spoke to local media and shared his last conversation with his daughter.
“My daughter was vivacious, lovable. Everyone really liked her. She was tough, but in a good way,” he said. “I just think back, I spoke to her last night at 6 o’clock when she told me, ‘I love you, Dad.’ That’s the last thing she said to me.”
Prosecutors say more charges, including vehicular homicide, could be filed as the investigation continues.
