A 28-year-old man now faces felony charges after a woman riding on the trunk of his vehicle fell onto the pavement as he sped away from a South Florida fast-food parking lot over the weekend.
The incident occurred around 8:40 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, outside a McDonald’s located at 26601 S. Dixie Highway in Naranja, within Miami-Dade County. Deputies with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office responded to a call regarding a woman who fell from a moving vehicle and arrived to find 37-year-old Nikkita Wongchong lying face-down on the ground.
Deputies performed CPR on Wongchong until paramedics reached the scene. Emergency responders transported her to Jackson South Medical Center in critical condition, where physicians later determined she was brain-dead, according to Local 10.
Investigation and Surveillance Footage
Surveillance cameras at the property captured the pair arriving together. Moments later, the footage showed Wongchong positioned on the car’s trunk. The vehicle then accelerated at what investigators described as a high rate of speed. Wongchong tumbled off the back, struck her head against the concrete, and the driver fled the parking lot without stopping. Passing motorists pulled over shortly after to check on her.
Using the video footage to identify the car, deputies tracked the vehicle to a nearby residence later that day and detained the driver, identified as Ismel Baro-Rodriguez.
Arrest and Confession
Investigators transported Baro-Rodriguez to the sheriff’s South District station for questioning. According to an arrest report obtained by Local 10, Baro-Rodriguez gave what authorities described as a “full confession” after being read his Miranda rights. The report did not detail the contents of that statement, nor did it explain the circumstances that led to Wongchong being on the trunk.
Charges and Custody Status
Baro-Rodriguez was booked into jail on one count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, a second-degree felony under Florida law. Records show he remained in custody Tuesday and is also subject to an immigration hold.
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