Florida Highway Patrol actively seeks the identity of a suspect involved in a hit-and-run incident that left two women seriously injured on New Year’s morning in the quaint Naples Manor neighborhood of Collier County.
Witnesses reported that the suspect, accompanied by a passenger, hastily fled the scene after colliding with the two women as they walked along the sidewalk.
This tragic event unfolded on Texas Avenue, positioned between Jennings Street and Mitchell Street. The Florida Highway Patrol has identified the probable suspect as a 35-year-old male from Guatemala, who was driving a black Buick. For reasons that remain unclear, he deviated from the road, hurtling onto the very sidewalk where the women were innocently enjoying their morning.
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FHP searching for Naples suspect after hit-and-run leaves two women seriously injured
The victims, aged 65 and 47, were swiftly transported to a local hospital, their conditions deemed serious by the attending state troopers. The community, enveloped in shock, wrestles with the aftermath of such an unexpected and violent encounter.
FHP, mindful of the gravity of the situation, has appealed to the public for any information regarding the driver and his passenger. Surveillance footage has been released, highlighting the suspect and the vehicle, which bore no license plate and was later found abandoned a few blocks away on Holland Street.
“Every day, I walk in this area just going to the park, and I’ve never seen this before. And it’s two women? Nah, that’s sad. You should watch who’s on the road and drive carefully,” expressed a local resident, Valdez, who reflected a poignant concern shared by many in the community.
The chaotic scene left its mark on residents who rushed to help, witnessing the harrowing sight of two injured women on the ground. Although they wished the victims a speedy recovery, many preferred to remain silent, perhaps reflecting their own unease at the violence that had erupted in their normally peaceful neighborhood.
The Florida Highway Patrol urges anyone with pertinent information regarding this reckless act to step forward. The community remains on high alert as the investigation unfolds, tirelessly hoping for answers and justice for the victims of this unsettling crime.
