A suspected drunk driver struck and killed a lady in Florida — after which callously advised police the sufferer was “only a homeless individual,” in response to police.
Ivana Gomez, 32, was rushing her BMW by Miami in late Might when she struck 41-year-old Kathryn Kipnis so arduous that Kipnis’ head burst by the windshield and a few of her hair acquired caught, officers mentioned.
Kipnis — who was not homeless — died after being dragged for greater than 230 ft earlier than being “violently thrown off” the car, in response to an arrest doc obtained by CBS Information.
A police officer who witnessed the horrific crash needed to drive at over 100 mph to maintain up with Gomez as she sped off, solely catching up when she acquired caught at a purple gentle, cops mentioned.
Police famous that Gomez smelled like alcohol, had purple, watery eyes and there was recent vomit in her automotive, WSVN reported. She struggled with a area sobriety take a look at and demanded a lawyer, the docs mentioned.
Even so, as she was being positioned at the back of the police cruiser, Gomez “spontaneously acknowledged that it was only a homeless person who I hit and it’s simply an accident,” in response to the police report.
Bodycam footage launched this week reveals Gomez in cuffs and with out footwear moments after her arrest on DUI manslaughter and vehicular murder expenses.
Nonetheless, it doesn’t seize her dismissing the sufferer as “only a homeless individual” — which Gomez denied ever saying when it was raised at her preliminary court docket listening to in Might, WSVN reported.
“Your Honor, I by no means mentioned that. I didn’t say that by any means. That’s false,” she advised the choose.
Kipnis was, in reality, not homeless. She lived within the space and was on her approach dwelling after an evening out with pals, her father advised NBC6.
Authorities confirmed graphic photographs on the listening to displaying the mangled BMW and a head-shaped gap gaping within the windshield.
Gomez “hit the sufferer so arduous that the sufferer’s head went into the car, by the windshield, and among the sufferer’s hair acquired caught on the passenger’s seat belt,” mentioned prosecutor Laura Adams on the Might listening to.
Almost 5 hours after the crash, Gomez’s blood alcohol stage was .112 — above the authorized restrict of .08.
Gomez is dealing with DUI manslaughter and vehicular murder expenses and stays locked up on a $251,000 bond.
