Florida man hid car used in deadly Orlando hit-and-run crash behind his house: officials
ORLANDO, Fla. - An Orlando man was arrested on Monday in connection with a deadly hit-and-run crash in Orange County that took place almost a year ago, authorities said.
Rafael Rivera, 55, was booked on charges of hit-and-run involving death and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
Mugshot of Rafael Rivera provided by the Orange County jail
The backstory:
On May 9, 2024, at approximately 11:15 p.m., Jonnier Agosto Cortes Figuereo, 28, was walking along Curry Ford Road near Colton Drive when he was hit and killed by a car, authorities said.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the driver, later identified as Rivera, lost control of the vehicle, veered off the roadway, and hit Figuereo. After the collision, Rivera drove into a Walgreens parking lot, assessed the damage to his white 2010 Mitsubishi Galant, and then fled the scene.
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The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said investigators have located a vehicle believed to have been involved in a deadly hit-and-run crash in Orange County. The crash happened at Curry Ford Road and Colton Drive.
New details:
FOX 35 News obtained the affidavit for the arrest warrant, which provided new details about the case.
According to the investigative document, troopers reviewed surveillance footage from within the City of Orlando to track down the Mitsubishi. The vehicle was seen traveling eastbound on Curry Ford Road prior to the crash and was registered to Rivera.
Authorities also spoke with Rivera's neighbor and his girlfriend regarding the incident.
(Credit: Florida Highway Patrol)
The neighbor told investigators that he noticed a white vehicle parked behind Rivera's home on Eastwood Drive, which he "thought was weird." The vehicle, which matched the description of Rivera’s Mitsubishi, had a tarp covering the right side, concealing where the damage would have been.
Rivera's girlfriend told authorities that he called her after the crash, claiming he had struck a pedestrian riding a bicycle. She said he later arrived home, parked the car behind the house, and covered it with a tarp.
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The family of an Orlando father who was killed in a hit-and-run crash continues to look for the driver.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Rivera's cellphone data which placed him in the area directly after the crash. It also confirmed his call to his girlfriend.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) was able to find the victim's DNA on the evidence that was collected on the outside of Rivera's car.
What's next:
Rivera entered a written plea of not guilty on April 8, according to Orange County Clerk of Court records.
His next court hearing has not been scheduled.
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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Florida Highway Patrol and Orange County court records.