MIAMI – Many questions remain following a police-involved crash that injured two pedestrians.
It happened Saturday shortly before 7 p.m. at the intersection of Northwest Seventh Street and 47th Avenue in Miami.
Police have been brief in their remarks regarding the crash.
“Circumstances leading up to the crash remains under investigation,” said Miami Police Officer Kiara Delva.
Authorities have said an officer that traveling through the intersection going eastbound on Seventh Street hit another car as that driver, who is okay following the crash, was making a left to go south on 47th Avenue.
The impact led to two pedestrians on the sidewalk being hit. One was rushed to the hospital in critical condition while the second victim was stable.
Authorities have since announced that one of the victims, 23-year-old Michelle Veronica Salmeron Membreno, has died as a result of her injuries.
Through tears, those that knew Membreno are heartbroken.
“She was just always so nice,” said friend Andrea Rodriguez. “In my mind I really started panicking and I was like there’s no way, there’s no way.”
Loved ones came to the spot where Membreno lost her life over the weekend to remember her, adding to a growing makeshift memorial next to a destroyed bus bench.
“I just left some flowers here, left her a nice little note just to show my respects,” said Rodriguez, who worked with Membreno at a Target store near Dadeland Mall.
“She was so hard working, she would never say no,” said Rodriguez. “She was always on top of her things, so it really is a loss because she did seem like a really great girl and she was a really great co-worker as well.”
Some people who work nearby told Local 10 News’ Christina Vazquez they believe they saw the officer approach the intersection at a high rate of speed, and that one of the women on the sidewalk who was hurt was waiting for the bus, having just left the gym across the street where she was exercising.
“The information I have (is that the officer) was not heading to a call,” said Delva.
The names of all others involved, and who investigators believe is at fault, remains unknown.