WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The suspect in a hit and run that killed a pregnant woman and left her 3-year-old daughter fighting for her life has been arrested in Martin County, West Palm Beach police said Friday.
Last night, with the assistance of the @MartinFLSheriff the suspect was located, interviewed, and booked at the #MartinCounty Jail in connection with the deadly hit & run. Thank you to our #community and local media. https://t.co/L5ZbqrcoXW
— West Palm Beach PD (@WestPalmPD) October 2, 2020
According to police, Priscila Nicolas Antonio, 39, was captured around 8:45 p.m. Thursday at a home in the 14000 block of SW Cherokee Drive in Indiantown.
Nicolas Antonio is facing charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving death, leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury, driving without a license or while driver's license was canceled, suspended, or revoked causing serious bodily injury or death, and leaving the scene of a crash involving damage.
In court on Friday, a judge set Nicolas Antonio's bond at $175,000. She's currently being represented by a public defender.
Earlier this week, investigators identified Nicolas Antonio as a person of interest in the case.
According to police, Nicolas Antonio is the registered owner of the vehicle involved in Tuesday's crash and was the driver.
"I am at a loss for words. This is one of those cases that's kind of hit me a little bit," Daniel Dillard, the lead traffic homicide investigator in the case, told WPTV. "These children did not deserve this."
WATCH NEWS CONFERENCE:
Police said a Honda Odyssey, driven by Nicolas Antonio, backed over Catarina Reymundo Marcos, 34, and her toddler, Jessica Guzman, 3, around 3 p.m. Tuesday in the 3800 block of Pinewood Avenue.
The driver then sped away recklessly to get away from the scene, according to police.
Police said Nicolas Antonio was either picking up or dropping off Marcos, and investigators believe the women knew each other.
Both victims were taken to St. Mary's Medical Center, where Marcos was pronounced dead. Guzman is in critical condition with a traumatic brain injury, and Marcos' fetus survived following an emergency Caesarean section, but is also in critical condition.
The vehicle was located about three hours later in the 3300 block of Pinewood Avenue.
Dillard said the license plate on the vehicle had been removed, but a search of the vehicle identification number identified the registered owner of the car as Nicolas Antonio. Records show she was never issued a driver's license.
