cop hit and killed [america]

[sunhuntin]

Police have arrested a suspect in Wednesday morning's fatal hit-and-run of a Haines City police officer.

The driver of the van, Miguel Gonzales, 44, was captured in Haines City Wednesday and is being charged with leaving the scene of a crime with death.

Gonzales, an illegal alien, passed a tractor trailer and a cement truck, then hit Officer Phoenix Braithwaite, who was riding a motorcycle, head-on before taking off on foot. Two other suspects in the van with Gonzales were taken to the hospital where they cooperated with police.

The incident happened on U.S. Highway 17-92 and County Road 54 near the Polk-Osceola county line.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the 24-year-old Braithwaite was riding his motorcycle to work from Kissimmee in Osceola County to Haines City when he was struck by the van driven by Gonzales.

After the accident, the suspects left the scene and Braithwaite, who was lying in the road, was also hit by two passing trucks. His motorcycle became trapped under one of the trucks and was dragged about a half-mile.

Braithwaite was hired by the police department in September 2005. He leaves behind a wife and 2-year-old daughter.

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No bond for man who hit officer
Thursday, August 3, 2006

A Polk County man charged with fleeing the scene of an accident that killed Haines City police officer Phoenix Braithwaite remains in jail without bond.

Miguel Gonzalez appeared before a judge Thursday to face charges that could send him to prison for years.

Law enforcement officers say Gonzalez was driving a van Wednesday when he tried to pass a truck and hit Braithwaite head-on, sending the officer and his personal motorcycle under a semi. Gonzalez ran away and was caught several hours later.

At the request of the Florida Highway Patrol, Judge Robert Williams denied bond for Gonzalez.

"Being the fact that he is an illegal immigrant in this country, there is nothing to keep him here," said FHP Cpl. John Carvalho. "So for that we believed it would be a flight risk."

Gonzalez, who told reporters Wednesday he ran because he was scared because he didn't have a driver's license, has family and friends in Haines City.

Hilda Benitez, who has known Gonzalez for 26 years, described him as a deeply religious, hard-working family man who must have panicked after the accident.

"Everybody makes mistakes," Benitez said through an interpreter. "Maybe he went into shock. We don't know. Only he knows what he felt during the accident. We are all hurt by this. He is a good person
Officers found Gonzalez several hours after the accident.

and it's a misfortune. It could happen to anybody."

Gonzalez could be imprisoned for up to 15 years if convicted.

"Unfortunately, he made the wrong decision and now he's going to have to pay the consequences," Carvalho said.

Braithwaite's funeral is Tuesday in Haines City.

[The_Dover]

where can I donate to Snr Gonzalez defence fund?

[sunhuntin]

got this from an american site....99% of them ignored the fact someone died are started going on about the illegal immigrant.

[scumdog]

where can I donate to Snr Gonzalez defence fund?

Oh, any one of those scam spams will be able to help out a man of such perception such as yourself.

Of course common sense dictates you spend the few remaining 5 cent pieces you have on a tact and diplomacy course.

[SARGE]

Oh, any one of those scam spams will be able to help out a man of such perception such as yourself.

Of course common sense dictates you spend the few remaining 5 cent pieces you have on a tact and diplomacy course.

dont worry bro..


Kharma is a motherfucker

[pete376403]

Seems to be a Florida thing - spics (illegals or otherwise) killing people in hit-and-runs. The victim of this one - http://www.nbc6.net/news/8627756/detail.html - was a friend of mine.

[Bob]

Oh, any one of those scam spams will be able to help out a man of such perception such as yourself.

Of course common sense dictates you spend the few remaining 5 cent pieces you have on a tact and diplomacy course.

Scumdog, I've reported Dover's post to Spank. Thanks for keeping your response so controlled.

I'm NOT having the kind of attitude Dover has shown on this forum, if I can avoid it. So far, a good attitude has always been shown here - and I will do my best to keep it that way.

Dover, death is NOT funny, OK? Thread now being closed down, before it turns into a spite-fight.