LAUDERHILL, Fla. – The family of a woman who was killed in a hit and run crash earlier this week is devastated.
That woman and her husband were the victims of a multi-car crash near the intersection of State Road 7 and the Lauderhill Mall on Monday. He remains hospitalized with serious injuries.
Authorities say a green BMW struck the red SUV being driven by the victims as it made a left hand turn, causing it to flip twice and come to a stop on its side.
The driver and passenger were still trapped inside as bystanders rushed in to help.
Police identified the driver of the BMW as 19-year-old Decarius Richards.
In court Wednesday, prosecutors described how Richards placed two small children, who they say were in his car at the time of the crash, in another vehicle, before he walked away from the crash scene with the victims still trapped inside their vehicle.
The driver of the SUV, identified as Armand St. Louis, was rushed to Broward Health Medical Center with serious injuries. The passenger was his wife of nearly 50 years, Delourdes St. Louis.
She was airlifted to the hospital where she later died from her injuries.
“I’m like, is this really happening?” said Richard St. Louis, the victims' son. “Am I ever not going to talk to my mother anymore? Am I not going to receive a text from my mom to ask me how I’m doing?”
Richards was arrested on Tuesday and made a virtual appearance before a Broward County judge Wednesday morning. His bond was set at $300,000.
While investigators are working to determine why the children left the scene and where they were initially taken, it is the family of 66-year-old Delourdes who wants to know why the driver, who took the life of their beloved mother, didn’t even try to help.
“That was heartless,” Richard said. “I don’t think any other human being would just leave anyone to die and then run from the scene.”