Teen held in death of cyclist had no license, stolen Mazda

Hours after a hit-and-run driver killed a bicyclist out for an early morning ride, police arrested a man who they said has never had a driver’s license at his home in the 8100 block of Northwest 187th Terrace.

Miami-Dade police said Jonathan Alexander Taylor, 18, was driving a stolen, silver, four-door Mazda MZ6 when it hurtled over a median and struck Braulio “Ozzie” Perez on the north side of Northwest 199th Street. The car was reported stolen Jan. 2.

“The defendant exited the Mazda and fled on foot,” an officer wrote in Taylor’s arrest affidavit.

Taylor, arrested Monday evening, was charged with fleeing the scene of a deadly crash, vehicular homicide and driving without a license.

Almost every day for the past three years, Perez would get up at about 4 a.m. to ride his bicycle around his Northwest Miami-Dade neighborhood with his buddy “to get in shape,” family friend Jeff Vance said.

Monday was his last ride.

“Unfortunately this gentleman lost his life tragically, and the driver didn’t even stop to render aid to the victim,” Miami-Dade Detective Marjorie Eloi said.

Perez, a 67-year-old husband, father and grandfather, was heading west in the 5900 block of Northwest 199th Street in the bike lane, according to Vance.

“He was doing everything right,” Vance said, adding that Perez used flashing lights and wore a helmet. “They were getting ready to do one more loop and come home.”

Taylor, from Hialeah, took off running after the crash.

Perez was taken to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he died.

Vance said Perez, who worked at the Magic City Casino, was a family man whose world centered around his wife, three sons and grandsons.

“This family will never be the same,” he said.

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 8:53 AM with the headline "Teen held in death of cyclist had no license, stolen Mazda."