Press Releases

Double fatal hit & run
April 11, 2009

Two women are dead, and two others seriously injured after a one-car crash in Hendry County. Now, police are searching for the driver, as well as witnesses who can help piece together how this fatal crash happened.

A high speed drive to work ends up in a violent crash and a driver taking the cowards way out – leaving his wife, sister in law and two friends on the side of the road – clinging to life – while he makes a getaway, as if nothing ever happened.

“It’s disturbing that he would do that to his friends, but to do that to someone you’re supposed to care about – it’s just disturbing," said Cpl. Allen Williams of the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred last month on County Road 835 in Hendry County. 28 year old Rodolfo Nunez Velasco was driving his group to a shrimp farm, where they all worked as laborers. Troopers working the accident say it’s clear Velasco was using excessive speed when he overcorrected on a turn, flipped the car and slammed into a pole.

 “The vehicle actually rolled up the pole – I measured the marks on the pole up to about seven feet," Williams said.

Velasco’s wife died at the scene, a second passenger just died a few days ago, and two others have brain damage that’s left them with amnesia. But immediately after the crash, Velasco went into work, cleaned himself up – then called family members to tell them he was taking off.

“Maybe he wanted the people to know that he was going back to Mexico, but that’s just infuriated the family," Williams said.

Investigators say Velasco was in the US illegally, and shouldn’t have been behind the wheel in the first place. Now, they’re not sure if Velasco has high tailed it back to Mexico, or if he’s still somewhere in the state – trying to avoid facing the responsibility of taking two lives – and forever changing two others.

State troopers are looking for anyone who might have seen the high speed crash, or who may have spotted Velasco in the days following the crash. To this point, no eye witnesses have come forward – and without that information, it’s going to be a tough road to ensure that justice is served.

“We want to figure out first off, what happened and then we need to find him so we can put him away. And the only way we’re going to be able to do that is with the public’s help," Williams said.

Anyone with information on Hendry County crash, or Rudolfo Velasco, is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477). All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for up to $1,000 in cash rewards.