FLORIDA CITY, FLA. (WSVN) - - A Florida City woman said she’s grateful she and her son were not home when, police said, a teenage driver slammed into her apartment building in a rollover crash that left him dead.
7News cameras on Friday captured Krystal Holmes as she surveyed the damage to her home, located along the 500 block of Northwest Fifth Avenue in the River Oaks town home community.
The gaping hole on the side of the building caused by the crash has since been boarded up.
“Had I been home, had I not left home a few moments earlier, I would have been inside the residence,” she said.
Miami-Dade Police said 17-year-old Brandon Madison was behind the wheel of a rented Mercedes-Benz sedan when he fled a traffic stop and crashed into Holmes’ home, Thursday afternoon.
Police said an officer with MDPD’s Robbery Intervention Detail attempted to pull over Madison at a nearby Sunoco gas station due to a traffic violation, but the driver wouldn’t cooperate.
“He immediately closed the door on the hand of the detective and fled at a high rate of speed,” said MDPD Detective Alvaro Zabaleta.
Cellphone video posted on social media captured the Mercedes pulling away from the gas station and hitting a vehicle on its way out. Police officers are seen following the vehicle moments later.
Not long after, detectives said, Madison lost control of the car, went through a fence and crashed into Holmes’ apartment building.
“The only thing I heard was a big bang,” said area resident Roger McCray.
Investigators said the teen was carrying a loaded gun with a high-capacity magazine that was thrown from the vehicle and littered the street with bullets about half a block from the home, as the Mercedes flipped over multiple times.
Madison was pronounced dead at the scene.
“You have a 17-year-old that lost their life, that for whatever reason why he was fleeing, he put himself and other people in danger, and in this case, the consequence was his own life,” said Zabaleta.
“My condolences go out to the family. I don’t know the young man. My sincere condolences on this unfortunate situation,” said Holmes, “but I just thank God for life.”
Holmes said she and her son will be staying in a hotel while repairs are underway at her unit.
What led up to the crash remains under investigation.
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