Thread: Home Depot Day Laborers Struck By Van In Miami-Dade

http://www.nbc6.net/news/9681707/detail.html

Day Laborers Struck By Van In Miami-Dade

POSTED: 11:34 am EDT August 15, 2006
UPDATED: 9:40 pm EDT August 15, 2006

MIAMI -- A man was killed and two were injured after being struck by a van in Miami-Dade County on Tuesday morning.

Miami-Dade police said it happened at about 10:30 a.m. near the intersection of Southwest 106th Avenue and Southwest 190th Street.

Police said the victims were day laborers working in the area.

Witnesses said the accident involved two Salvadoran men and a Colombian man who were standing around a van parked near the shoulder along Southwest 106th Avenue.

The man who died was from El Salvador, and the others were transported to an area hospital. At least one is in serious condition, reported NBC 6's Carlos Vergara.

It appeared that two vans were involved in the collision.

"The van stopped," said Albert Fell, a witness. "The immigrants were around the van. It looked like the brown car hit him in the back. Anybody who was in front of the van got hit."

Eric Campos was driving to Home Depot when he encountered the accident.

"I saw a bunch of guys lifting the car off the (victim)," he said.

One man who came upon the scene after the collision occurred said that the incident could have been avoided.

"It could've been avoided if the county did the right thing and enforced the laws," said activist George Ramos. "If you look at previous reports, there is an ordinance in the books. It's called Loitering For The Purpose Of Day Labor. We've been trying to get the county, for a year, to take care of the problem that's going on here. Nothing has happened."

Police are questioning the driver of the van, Luis Aguirre, 75. He has not been charged.

The incident remains under investigation.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15279715.htm

Posted on Tue, Aug. 15, 2006

One laborer killed, two injured in South Miami-Dade crash

BY KATHLEEN FORDYCE
kfordyce@MiamiHerald.com

An elderly man plowed into a group of day laborers gathered outside a Home Depot near Cutler Bay this morning, killing one and injuring two others, Miami-Dade police said.

The dead man was pinned to the ground underneath the driver's car and died on the scene, police spokesman Roy Rutland said. The two injured men were airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital, he said.

Rutland said the men were sitting and leaning on the rear bumper of a parked van when the driver, who was heading north on Southwest 106th Avenue near 190th Street, veered off the road, striking the trio.

The names of the driver and victims were not released. Police said the accident remains under investigation and no charges have been filed.

Dozens of day workers gather on the street near the accident site looking for work every day. Their presence has sparked some controversy among local business owners, and police and immigrant advocates have been working on a long-term plan to relocate them.

A witness who gave his name only as Manuel said he had just talked to the man who died about working on a construction project. Manuel said he walked away moments before the crash occurred. He said he knew the man by the name Tulio and he believed he was from Honduras.

Witnesses said they tried without success to lift the car off the man who died.

If the city gets sued, I bet they will enforce their own city ordinance.

Dixie