MIRAMAR, Fla. – A crash that killed a driver Monday afternoon after the Infiniti the person was driving left the road and struck several trees, and then burst into flames, is now being investigated as a possible hit-and-run, according to Miramar police.
At 12:53 p.m. Monday, Miramar police and Miramar Fire-Rescue responded to the 17800 block of Miramar Parkway.
There, they found the vehicle charred and the driver, whose identity has yet to be released, dead.
Family and friends told Local 10 News that the 27-year-old driver, Andrew Michael Durick, was driving to the area from Vero Beach to visit his grandmother.
As traffic homicide investigators spent the afternoon gathering evidence and speaking with possible witnesses, they were able to determine the driver was likely involved in a crash with another car, believed to be a newer model, two-door, mint green Dodge Challenger with front passenger-side damage.
“I can’t make it out,” Javier Camps, who lives nearby, said. “All I see is a collection of parts. I can’t make out a headlight -- a steering wheel off in the grassy area, I noticed a tire.”
Authorities say the car was split in two and the engine was ripped from the car. The back end was a pile of metal pieces, mangled with no resemblance of ever being part of a vehicle.
“It is very unfortunate,” Camps said.
The severity of the crash forced the lanes of traffic on Miramar Parkway west of 178th Avenue to be shut down for hours.
Police said the driver of the Dodge Challenger quickly took off, leaving the person behind the wheel of the Infiniti for dead.
Miramar police spokeswoman Tania Rues confirmed that speed was a factor in the crash.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
Watch raw video of the crash scene below: