Driver with a suspended license accused of killing a Miami-Dade teen in a hit-and-run
A Miramar man has been charged with slamming his Mercedes into bicycle rider Derek Betancourt, then leaving the teen for dead on a busy Northwest Miami-Dade street last year.
Betancourt was 18.
Frederick Bailey, 45, is out of jail after posting $16,500 bond. He’s charged with leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, driving with a suspended license habitually and tampering with physical evidence.
Betancourt was riding his bike in the area of the 19600 block of Northwest 47th Avenue just before 8 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2020 when he was hit.
Shortly after the crash, police said Betancourt was struck by a dark-colored, four-door 2015 to 2018 Mercedes Benz C300. Detectives said the car had front-end damage, including a missing front outer grille and a missing front Mercedes emblem.
According to Bailey’s arrest report, police found the damaged Mercedes on Feb. 13 at a West Park auto body shop. The tow truck driver told police that Bailey requested the car to be towed with a cover.
After obtaining a search warrant for the car, police said they were able to find “DNA evidence” that matched Bailey. Police did not specify the evidence. Cell phone records also placed Bailey at the crash scene, police said.
Bailey’s driving history
Over the last 15 years, Bailey has paid $1,656 in traffic fines and still owes Miami-Dade County $878 in traffic citations, online records show. His license appears to have been suspended since May 1, 2016.
In 2008, he paid $459 after Pembroke Pines police busted him doing 62 mph in a 40 mph zone while on a suspended license.
On Oct. 9, 2010, Miami Gardens officers papered Bailey with 11 tickets following an incident. He eventually got convicted of only the DUI violation, but paid a steep fine of $1,197.25 for the single charge.
Driving without a license was one of the four tickets Bailey received after an April 2019 incident, also in Miami Gardens. He was convicted only of reckless driving, but still owes $657.50 on that ticket.
This story was originally published April 26, 2021 at 10:31 PM.
