A 43-year-old woman who was the victim of a hit-and-run crash in southwest Miami-Dade has died, police said Monday.
Melita Jaric, who had been on life support at Ryder Trauma Center after she was struck while crossing the street in the 4200 block of Southwest 11th Street Friday, died at the hospital, Miami-Dade Police said.
Jaric, a world traveler who is fluent in multiple languages, was pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science at Florida International University.
Police say the unknown driver struck her around 4 p.m. and fled the scene. Police do not have a description of the vehicle or the driver.
"It's a beautiful life lost. There's no way back," said her sister Natasha Jaric.
She said Melita Jaric stopped showing signs of breathing on her own on Sunday.
Jaric's roommate and neighbors waited with her until first responders arrived Friday. Neighbor Erik Moreno told 911 dispatchers that Jaric was breathing, but her eyes were wide open and she was unresponsive.
"I just wanted to help her out, poor thing," he said.
Natasha Jaric said that when her sister got to the hospital, she was brain-dead.
"If someone could've picked her up, if someone could've taken her to the hospital earlier, the damage could've been a lot less," she said.
FIU's president, Mark B. Rosenberg, remembered Melita Jaric in a statement after her passing.
“We are deeply saddened by the news that we have lost a member of our FIU family. Melita Jaric was a bright doctoral student with a promising future that was cut short by this senseless tragedy," Rosenberg said. "She used her analytical and computer skills to do important research for the benefit of people suffering from lung disease. She was driven, dedicated and curious about the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this difficult time."
