A Florida woman is facing serious charges after allegedly running over and killing a pedestrian, who she dismissed as “just a homeless person,” according to authorities.
Florida woman caught fleeing the scene
After fleeing in her car, Ivana Gomez, 32, was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident and resisting arrest without violence. She is currently being held at the Miami-Dade County jail with bond set at $251,500.
Based on details from a probable cause affidavit, the incident took place around 1:15 a.m. on May 30 in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood. The victim was identified as 41-year-old Katherine Kipnis.
During a bond hearing the next day, prosecutors described how the collision unfolded. They said Gomez was driving a BMW that hit Kipnis with such force that the victim’s head went through the windshield and strands of her hair became entangled in the front passenger seatbelt.
A police officer who reportedly witnessed the crash attempted to pull Gomez over. She allegedly did not stop right away and continued driving until she encountered traffic.
When the officer approached her vehicle, he noticed signs indicating possible alcohol use, including the odor of alcohol and her bloodshot eyes. Authorities also reported the presence of vomit in the passenger seat.
Gomez reportedly refused to complete a field sobriety test and asked to consult a lawyer.
Florida woman denies flippant comment about victim
At the bond hearing, the judge referenced a statement Gomez allegedly made following the crash, in which she said, “just a homeless person that I hit” and “it’s just an accident.”
Gomez denied making those remarks. “Your Honor, I never said that,” she claimed in court. “I did not say that whatsoever. That’s false.”
The victim’s father, speaking to local news outlet WPLG, described his daughter in warm terms. “My daughter was vivacious, lovable. Everyone really liked her. She was tough, but in a good way,” he said.
He added that their last conversation had taken place the previous evening. “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 indicated that additional charges, including vehicular homicide, may be added as the investigation progresses.
Tennessee man opens fire on Alabama family
In a separate case that unfolded in Alabama, a man wearing biker gear and a Kevlar vest allegedly fired multiple shots at a family traveling on Interstate 65.
The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Jason Johnson of Centerville, Tennessee, is facing three counts of attempted murder and one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle.
According to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, Johnson opened fire on a vehicle carrying a family, endangering their lives.
He was reportedly wearing an Outcast Motorcycle Club vest at the time, an organization authorities say is tied to criminal activity and maintains more than 65 chapters across the U.S.
A 911 caller reported the incident, describing a man on a motorcycle firing shots at a car heading northbound on Interstate 65.
Law enforcement issued a detailed alert and troopers with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency tracked Johnson roughly ten miles from the reported location. Limestone County Deputies sped to the scene to aid in the traffic stop that followed.
Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin condemned the act in a statement. “This reckless violence has no place on our highways,” he said. “We are thankful no innocent lives were lost, and we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure the public’s safety.”
Authorities say Johnson was arrested based on physical evidence and witness accounts. They confirmed that he had a pistol and loaded magazines on him when taken into custody. A bond has not yet been determined in his case.
