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Investigators determined that the original suspect lied to law enforcement, and his wife was actually driving at the time of the deadly crash.
LAKE CITY, Fla. — A second suspect is facing charges in connection with a deadly hit-and-run crash in Lake City that left an 8-year-old girl dead Friday, after investigators determined the suspects fabricated their statements to authorities, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers say the original suspect, 38-year-old Julio Cesar Marquez, lied to investigators about where he was at the time of the crash, and his wife, Kenia Gonzalez, was driving the vehicle.
The crash happened around 6:47 p.m. Friday on U.S. 90 and left 8-year-old Lauren Peterson dead. She was riding her bike at the time of the crash.
In a sworn statement to police, Marquez claimed he was driving the vehicle that hit Peterson, which prompted his arrest on charges of failing to remain at the scene of a crash involving death. Troopers say his statement was, at the time, corroborated by his wife.
“Upon receiving conflicting information, investigators determined and confirmed that Mr. Marquez and Mrs. Gonzalez fabricated their original statements,” FHP said in a release Monday.
Through video surveillance, investigators learned Marquez was at work at the time of the fatal crash.
Using other surveillance video, investigators proved that Gonzalez was driving the vehicle in the area at the time of the crash.
After the evidence was presented to Gonzalez, she admitted she had fabricated her original statement and was driving when the crash occurred, according to FHP.
Gonzalez was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving death and making a false police report. Her husband is now charged with accessory after the fact and knowingly giving false information to a law enforcement officer.
On Sunday, hundreds of people in Lake City gathered at a vigil to honor Peterson, who was described by family as “full of life.”
“I miss her,” Peterson’s uncle Michael Smith told First Coast News. “I wish I could bring her back. I wish she could be here with us right now.”
Attendees wore Peterson’s favorite colors, purple and white, in her honor.
