A suspected drunk driver in Florida has been linked to the tragic assault and death of a woman, with police describing the victim as “just a homeless person.”
Ivana Gomez, 32, was reportedly speeding through Miami in her BMW when she violently collided with 41-year-old Kathryn Kipnis, resulting in Kipnis’s head breaking through the windshield, with her hair becoming stuck.
However, contrary to initial claims, Kipnis was not homeless, according to official documents.
Witnesses to the horrifying incident noted that police had to pursue Gomez for over 100 miles after the crash.
Officers reported that Gomez exhibited signs of alcohol consumption, including a strong smell of alcohol, red and watery eyes, and vomit in her vehicle. Furthermore, she struggled with sobriety tests and had questions regarding her situation, as noted in court documents.
During her interactions with police, Gomez allegedly remarked that she was “just a homeless person who attacked, and that was an accident,” as detailed in a police report.
After her arrest, body camera footage revealed Gomez in handcuffs, seemingly shoeless, while facing charges of manslaughter and DUI-related vehicular homicide.
At her first court hearing in May, Gomez refuted the claim she made about the victim, insisting, “Your honor, I never said it. I never said it. It’s wrong.”
Kipnis, in fact, had a home nearby and was returning from a night out with friends, her father mentioned to NBC6.
The authorities presented graphic evidence during the hearings, including a damaged BMW and a head-shaped hole in the windshield caused by the impact.
Prosecutor Laura Adams described the severity of the crash, stating that Kipnis’s head went through the windshield and some of her hair became lodged in the passenger’s seat belt during the collision.
Almost five hours post-accident, Gomez’s blood alcohol level was measured at .112.
Gomez is currently facing charges of DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide, with a bond set at $251,000.
