Community mourns loss of teenager who died in hit-and-run accident

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Family and friends are mourning the loss of 17-year-old Justin Rivera.

The high school student was struck and killed while jogging Friday morning along Southwest 152nd Street.

Sky 10 flew over the crash scene showing a yellow tarp. Police also collected a pair of red athletic shoes.

Investigators said the person who hit him didn’t stop to help and drove off from the scene.

Police said the driver was Maria Rodriguez. She didn’t answer Local 10′s questions when she bonded out of jail.

Rodriguez talked to police, however. A police report says Rodriguez, “confessed to her involvement in the traffic crash.”

Police also discovered the damaged car they believe Rodriguez was driving underneath a tarp at a home near the crash.

The teen’s family and friends are now processing his sudden death.

Rivera played football. The athletic department at his high school tweeted a photo of him with the caption, “Spartan Nation gained an Angel today: RIP - Justin Rivera 1/18/04-10/29/21 ‘Once a Spartan Always a Spartan!’”

It was likely Rivera was out running and training ahead of an upcoming football game.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help his family. A celebration of life is scheduled for Nov. 6th.