MIAMI (WSVN) - Police want to arrest a 17-year-old boy — again — after he was hit with additional charges in connection to a crash in Miami that left a delivery driver on a motorcycle dead.
According to City of Miami Police, Omari Terry was initially charged with grand theft auto and allowed to bond out before he could be hit with the heavier charge of vehicular homicide. Now he is on the loose.
Investigators said the teen was behind the wheel of a stolen red Kia when he crashed into 34-year-old John Koontz in Miami, at around 2 a.m. on Tuesday.
Police said officers tried to stop Terry, but instead he took off, increased his speed and ran a red light before he caused the fatal crash.
“The Red Kia was traveling southbound on Seventh Avenue, ran the red light and crashed with the motorcyclist that was going eastbound on 20th Street,” said Miami Police Officer Michael Vega.
Officers caught up seconds later and located the crash, with the driver of the motorcycle critically injured.
Paramedics transported Koontz to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Koontz’s family was left devastated, as the father of two was the rock of the family.
“My husband. This is just too crazy for me. He was everything,” said Lizanette Koontz, the victim’s wife. “He has two kids, 2 and 7. They are, like, his world. They see through his eyes.”
Terry, meantime, stayed at the scene and was detained by responding officers. Hours later, he bonded out of jail.
According to his criminal record, this is the second time in a little over a year that Terry has been hit with a felony charge. In October 2023, he was arrested and charged with attempted murder in connection to a drive-by shooting.
Detectives said Terry told them he was in the car that day, but he wasn’t the shooter. The case against him was eventually dropped.
Now, he faces several new charges and is headed back to jail — as soon as police find him. When they do, he will also face an additional charge of driving without a license while being involved in a crash that led to a death.
On the phone with 7News Wednesday night, Lizanette Koontz said she was shocked and appalled by the news that Terry remains on the run.
If you have any information on Terry’s whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
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