West Miami-Dade

A boy died in a July crash. The pickup truck driver who hit the car has just been booked

Melissa Vasquez
Melissa Vasquez Miami-Dade Corrections

The pickup truck driver who, police say, drove into the side of a car and killed a 7-year-old boy was booked into Miami-Dade County jail Wednesday.

West Miami-Dade resident Melissa Vasquez, 24, is charged with vehicular homicide and two counts of reckless driving with serious bodily injury in relation to the July 11 crash that killed Christian Tomas, 7. Her bond was set at $30,000 Thursday morning.

Vasquez, a Florida Highway Patrol accident report said, was driving a Ford F-150 west on Bird Road around 10 p.m. July 11. Christian and 3-year-old Daisa Thomas were in a Toyota Camry being driven east on Bird Road by Efren Matis. As Matis made a left turn onto Southeast 92nd Avenue, the report said, Vasquez smashed into the passenger side of the Camry near the rear.

Both Christian and Daisa were wearing seat bealts. If they were seated as recommended by Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, both would’ve been in the back seat, right where the report says Vasquez’s truck hit the Camry.

Christian was declared dead on the scene. Daisa suffered serious injuries.

Vasquez has no previous convictions on her driving record in Miami-Dade and Broward. Tickets for speeding from a 2018 stop were dismissed.

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David J. Neal
Miami Herald
Since 1989, David J. Neal’s domain at the Miami Herald has expanded to include writing about Panthers (NHL and FIU), Dolphins, old school animation, food safety, fraud, naughty lawyers, bad doctors and all manner of breaking news. He drinks coladas whole. He does not work Indianapolis 500 Race Day.
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