****UPDATED 1/26/16 3 PM****
***UPDATED 9:58 P.M. 1/26/06***
Drama brewing as multiple sources including official police sources conflict with our original report as well as our first update earlier this afternoon. We redacted an update from an anonymous tip which claimed those involved in the accident were intoxicated; we’re working on updating the article with facts and will update the article as we receive verifiable information.
- Person claiming to be parent of victim denies there is a fatality
- Fatality yet to be confirmed/denied by FHP
- CORRECTION: Pedestrian NOT involved, accident involved a passenger being ejected from Ford Mustang
- Unconfirmed reports claim everyone in accident is ok
- Anonymous tip identified fatality as female
- Victims were transported to Kendall Regional due to limitations at Baptist Hospital
Sweetwater, FL – A major car accident involving four cars and an unconfirmed fatality occurred at around 10 P.M. on Sunday night at the busy intersection of S.W 8th Street and 109 Avenue near FIU. The gruesome accident led an unidentified female to be ejected from a Ford Mustang, the accident also resulted in a vehicle fire which occurred near 109 Tower. Initial unconfirmed reports of a pedestrian struck in the accident were incorrect, as there were no pedestrians struck unlike last week’s incident involving an FIU student on a bicycle.
Florida Highway Patrol was on scene and would not confirm reports of a fatality. Miami Dade Police, Sweetwater Police and FIU Police were also on scene to provide assistance to FHP.
Last week, an FIU student using a bicycle to travel north on 109 Avenue near S.W. 6th Street was struck by a large SUV. The driver of last week’s accident was not cited.
FIU students on the scene expressed their concern over the dangers of crossing S.W. 8th Street on a daily basis. With over 500 students living in 109 Tower and very limited parking available for residents of 109 Tower, residents are forced to park across 8th street, at a parking garage on campus. This leads to thousands of FIU students that cross the busy intersection risking their lives just to get to their cars/home.
To alleviate the problem, FIU, the City of Sweetwater, with the State of Florida and the Federal Department of Transportation have promised to build a pedestrian bridge about 8th Street connecting Sweetwater to FIU.
Construction for the bridge is slated to begin on 2017.
In addition to the planned pedestrian bridge, the City of Sweetwater and FIU have formed UniversityCity Transportation Management Association (UTMA), a nonprofit entity to manage transit and development of UniversityCity, a community-development concept intended to transform the area around Sweetwater and FIU into a modern college-friendly community with a unique on-demand transportation system described by officials as “Uber for Transit”.
UTMA is headed the best and brightest figures representing the City of Sweetwater, FIU administration, and local business, most notably on the UTMA Board of Directors is Phil Procacci, a highly successful real estate developer and owner of Dolphin Commerce Center behind Dolphin Mall. UTMA meets once a month in the City of Sweetwater City Hall to discuss development of the transit system slated to launch in the Summer of 2016.
The next UTMA meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 6 PM in the Commission Chambers within Sweetwater City hall located at 500 SW 109 Ave, Third Floor. The meeting is open to the public.
