Madeline De León Cruz, 63, died Sunday at Centro Médico de Río Piedras after being struck by two vehicles in a hit-and-run in the Buena Vista neighborhood of Humacao. The crash occurred Saturday around 7:00 PM at the intersection of roads 923 and 9923. Her sister, María De León Cruz, described Madeline as a loving, cheerful, and social person, and is calling on the drivers who killed her to take responsibility and turn themselves in.
Witnesses, speaking off-camera, said Madeline was first struck by a fleeing gray vehicle, then run over again by a maroon vehicle despite bystanders shouting for it to stop. Witnesses said the second vehicle’s driver briefly stopped, claimed she had only hit the woman’s legs, then drove off while Madeline, lying on the ground, begged not to be left to die.
Police are reviewing security cameras in the area. Neighbors also said they have filed complaints with LUMA Energy about broken lighting at the busy intersection, saying those efforts have been unsuccessful, and are calling on LUMA to take immediate action to prevent another tragedy.