WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A West Palm Beach woman has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash in 2019.
On Tuesday, June 18, 2019, at approximately 11:45 p.m. a crash occurred in the 7500 block of S. Dixie Highway. The victim, identified as Nelson L. Roman Rodriguez, 28, died as a result of his injuries. His wife and children were present when the crash occurred.
At the time of the crash, no suspect vehicle was established. But pieces of the vehicle were found at the scene which showed it to possibly be a 2011-2016 Chevrolet Camaro.
Videos from the area show a dark-colored vehicle.
On June 20, 2019, a video was located of the vehicle, damaged, just after the crash, confirming it was a 2011-2016 Chevrolet Camaro.
Police held a press conference asking for assistance from the public in identifying the vehicle.
Further investigation led to a windshield repair company who provided multiple recorded calls from the previous day requesting a new windshield for a 2015 Camaro.
The person making the calls identified herself as Giselle Infante.
Police responded to her address and even received an anonymous call stating the suspect vehicle that they saw on the news was there the past two days with damage.
The 2015 Chevrolet Camaro was located in front of 1029 N. Tamarind Avenue, parked and unoccupied.
Inside the business, police located Infante.
The Camaro had a new windshield and a new right front fender.
Police say the missing pieces that were found at the scene belonged to this vehicle.
Investigators located red clothing fibers embedded into the paint of the front of the vehicle that matched the red sweat pants worn by the victim of the crash.
Infante went to the police department and told officers she was not driving and could not drive due to a recent arrest for a suspended license.
She said she did not know about the crash.
She told police that the owner of the car, Santiago Diaz Jr., was in possession of the vehicle. She said he damaged the vehicle and had her get it repaired.
Diaz Jr. spoke with police and said he was home sleeping when the crash occurred. He said Infante had possession of the vehicle and was involved in a fight with another person, which caused the damage to the vehicle.
On Saturday, June 22, 2019, a Crime Stoppers tip was received identifying the passenger in the vehicle at the time of the crash.
Police contacted the person and had him come in to speak to investigators.
The man told police he was staying at a hotel on S. Dixie Highway and met with Infante. The two drove to a liquor store in Lake Worth. While driving on S. Dixie Highway he saw a man on the side of the road beginning to cross, and says he told Infante, who was traveling fast, to watch out. The witness said Infante swerved, but struck the man crossing the road.
Infante fled the scene and told the witness the vehicle did not have insurance and she had been released from jail on an SOR ("Supervised Own Recognizance").
The witness said he tried to leave the Camaro multiple times but his door was stuck. He said he tried to exit the Camaro at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Forest Hill Boulevard, at which time Infante ran the red light. Police observed a video of this occurring.
The witness also told police that the victim was wearing red pants. The clothing of the victim was not public knowledge.
Video was obtained showing Infante to be in the area prior to and after the crash, confirming the witness' account of the evening.
The Camaro's driver controls were swabbed for DNA and cross-referenced with Infante, the witness, and Diaz Jr.
Everyone but Infante was excluded from the driver controls by DNA comparison.
Giselle Infante was arrested and is facing one count of vehicular homicide, one count of leaving the scene of a crash, one count of driving with a suspended license involving death, and two counts of tampering with evidence.
