The victim of a fatal crash that ended with a Southwest Ranches firefighter facing charges has been identified.
A 77-year-old woman has been identified as the person who was killed in a car crash that involved a Southwest Ranches volunteer firefighter.
On Dec. 21, Ileana Mendigutia was headed westbound on Bird Road when a black Jeep came into her lanes and hit her white Toyota Camry head-on, according to initial reports.
"She was very quiet but always very nice," neighbor Mila Soto said of Mendigutia.
Miami-Dade Police said 47-year-old Vidal Lazo, a volunteer firefighter in Southwest Ranches, was at the wheel of the Jeep and allegedly under the influence of opiates and methamphetamines.
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Lazo’s 3-year-old daughter was in the car with him at the time. She ended up in the intensive care unit with multiple facial fractures and a broken leg.
Mendigutia leaves behind a husband and extended family in Cuba. Her neighbor described the couple as sweet and devoted to each other.
"It is devastating, me as a widow, I know when you lose a partner it’s very difficult, so I’m very touched by this," Soto said.
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Lazo faces a child neglect charge. It's unclear if more charges will be filed. A judge on Monday expressed her surprise that there weren’t more charges at this point.
Miami-Dade Police said the investigation is ongoing. The Florida Department of Children and Families is also involved.
