UPDATE: Tragic Crash Claims Lives of Teen Driver and Passenger
A devastating incident occurred early Wednesday morning when a 15-year-old boy crashed the Audi he was driving into a pillar under an overpass of Florida’s Turnpike. The young driver, identified as Anthony Gago, tragically lost his life in the crash. Miami-Dade officers were pursuing him at the time of the accident. The passenger in the car, a 14-year-old girl named Jazmin Keltz, remains in critical condition as of Friday morning.
Anthony, a sophomore at John A. Ferguson Senior High School, was remembered as a bright and compassionate young man by his grieving family. His cousin, Danny Garcia, expressed their devastation over the loss. The community is rallying around Jazmin, a freshman at Ferguson High, and her family, as they continue to pray for her recovery.
Thankfully, no one else was injured in the crash. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, with authorities hoping to find closure for the affected families. According to Miami-Dade Police Spokesman Alvaro Zabaleta, an officer had spotted the Audi and attempted to initiate a traffic stop by turning on his lights. However, the teen driver was already traveling at a high rate of speed, leading to the tragic collision with the concrete pillar.
The Audi had been reported as a “suspicious vehicle” traveling east on Miller Drive before the crash. The officer caught up to the car near Southwest 123rd Avenue and signaled for it to pull over. However, the driver accelerated, resulting in the crash under the overpass on Miller Road at Florida’s Turnpike.
The exact speed of the Audi has yet to be determined, and Zabaleta did not explicitly state that the officer was engaged in a chase with the underage driver. The teenage boy had taken his mother’s vehicle without permission, leading to the fatal accident. Jazmin was immediately rushed to HCA Florida Kendall Trauma Center for critical medical care.
The Miami-Dade Police Department’s Traffic Homicide Unit is conducting a thorough investigation into the crash. As a result, Miller Drive between Southwest 117th and 118th avenues was closed during the morning rush hour. The community has come together to support the families affected by this tragic event, with GoFundMe campaigns set up to cover Jazmin’s medical expenses and Anthony’s funeral costs. As of Friday morning, the campaigns had raised over $13,000 and nearly $9,000, respectively.
