WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have arrested a man in connection with a crash that left a bicyclist dead in a Miami neighborhood after they received a call from the suspect’s own family.
7News cameras captured 35-year-old George Luis Amparo as he bonded out of the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade, Tuesday night.
He repeatedly said he was sorry for what happened, adding it all unfolded in a matter of seconds as he was driving home.
“I was just driving, on my way home, relaxed, to be at work in the morning, and this thing happened so quick that, you know,” he said, “and I’m very, very sorry, very sorry.”
Tuesday morning, the suspect appeared in bond court. He was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal crash.
“The bicyclist was left there to die in the street,” said Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Victoria Sigler.
Surveillance video from a nearby home shows the moments after, detectives said, Amparo plowed his SUV into the victim and drove off, at around 6:45 a.m., Monday.
“I heard a loud noise, I looked out the window, and I see the man on the floor,” said area resident Jisela Torres.
What Torres saw on her street Monday morning was the aftermath of a killer hit-and-run.
Security video showed a man down, his bike smashed.
Someone later tried to direct traffic away from the deadly scene.
Police said the suspect’s SUV headed south on Northwest 12th Avenue, slammed into the victim at 51st Street and then drove away.
The victim, identified as 44-year-old Mark James, was taken to Ryder Trauma Center but did not survive.
Torres said her neighbor was the one trying to direct drivers away, which almost caused that man to be hit.
“My neighbor was there stopping people, and another car just came and hit him again,” said Torres.
Miami Police worked all day and into Monday to track down the suspect.
“That is somebody’s somebody, and it hurts me, and it’s not even my family,” said Torres.
Police said they also recovered the vehicle, a black Nissan Rogue with front-end damage, after receiving the call from the suspect’s own family, who saw a news report about the crash on TV, then saw Amparo’s SUV in their driveway.
The family called police and made sure the suspect spoke with detectives. He was taken into custody some time later.
Tuesday afternoon, James’ family said they’re mourning a tremendous loss.
“He was always trying to help people. It was the kind of guy he was,” said his mother.
“He was a joker. He liked to joke around, play around,” said his cousin. “Everyone he came in contact with him loved him.”
Amparo was issued a no drive order.
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