A woman who slammed into a 13-year-old girl riding her bike to school, killing the girl, was driving without a driver’s license, Florida officials said.
Micaela Coronel, 25, a native of Argentina, hit Mariana Pérez Borroto, in Kissimmee on April 3.
Mariana was riding her bicycle to Lake Marion Creek Middle School, where she was in eighth grade.
Coronel told Polk County Sheriff’s deputies that she was in the United States on a “visitor pass” as of October 2018 and presented an Argentine identification card.
25-year-old Micaela Coronel, arrested for hit and run fatality
Sheriff Judd is briefing the media about the arrest of 25-year-old Micaela Coronel, who hit and killed a 13-year-old Poinciana girl who was riding her bike to Lake Marion Creek Middle School on Wednesday morning, April 3rd. Click here to read the news release: bit.ly/2IgZCv1
Posted by Polk County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, April 4, 2019
“She does not have a Florida driver’s license, and deputies determined through their investigation that she does not have a valid driver’s license at all,” the sheriff’s office stated.
At the time of the crash condensation covered about four-fifths of Coronel’s windshield, obstructing her view, according to deputies.
“This suspect should not have even been behind the wheel of a vehicle. This is an awful, senseless tragedy that should never have occurred,” said Sheriff Judd in a statement. “This beautiful child should be turning 14 years old in just two weeks, but for this suspect’s illegal actions. Mariana’s family and friends are in our prayers.”
Judd told reporters at a news conference the day after the crash that Coronel was in the country illegally on an expired work visa, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agency has placed a detainer on the woman, meaning when she is released either with or without a conviction and sentence, she will be deported.
Awful story out of Polk County:
A 13-year-old Lake Marion Creek Middle School student was riding her bike to school when she was hit on Homosassa Road.
Mariana Pérez Borroto was hit around 7:50 AM.
She was flown to Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital in Orlando where she died. pic.twitter.com/9LCj44Yl4e— Kelly Rippin WESH (@KellyRippin) April 4, 2019
This is the street where she was hit. Less than two miles from school & down the street from her home. No sidewalks on either side of the road, no road markings, no shoulder. pic.twitter.com/0SJMSyTrYT
— Kelly Rippin WESH (@KellyRippin) April 4, 2019
“Nothing is going to bring that beautiful 13-year-old girl back to her family,” Judd said. “She should have been celebrating her 14th birthday in a few weeks, but she won’t.”
“She’s here illegally, she’s operating a motor vehicle illegally, and she runs over a child. This simply wouldn’t have happened if she was in her country of origin, Argentina,” Judd added of Coronel. “Here’s one more example of someone illegally in this country clearly violating the law. There is no excuse.”
Coronel was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license causing death.
JUST IN | The 13-year-old was biking to Lake Marion Creek Middle School, where she was an eighth-grader when she was hit.
What we know >> https://t.co/pKcV9StaBP
— ABC Action News (@abcactionnews) April 3, 2019
Responding to the death, Johna Jozwiak, the principal at Lake Marion, issued a statement.
“Our hearts are broken today. We are devastated by the loss of a very special member of our Lake Marion Creek Middle family. Mariana was a bright and sweet-natured girl who possessed a very polite and calm manner. She enjoyed studying history and loved spending her free time sketching in notebooks,” Jozwiak stated.
“We are devastated by this tragic news. Counselors are available at school for students and staff members. We have also rescheduled the rest of this week’s Florida Standards Assessments testing to next week.”
