January 25, 2024 | Posted in News
HEARING FROM FIRSTRILLIONESPONDERS IN A DEADLY HIT AND RUN TRIAL. IT IS AGAINST THE WOMAN ACCUSED OF KILLING A TEN YEAR OLD WHO WAS WALKING TO THE SCHOOL BUS IN 2021. THIS COMES AFTER HER FIRST TRIAL WAS DECLARED A MISTRIAL. TREASURE COAST BUREAU REPORTER JOSSIE CARBONARE WAS IN THE COURTROOM WHEN OPENING STATEMENTS BEGAN. OPENING STATEMENTS AND TESTIMONIES. IN WHAT IS THE SECOND SCHEDULED TRIAL AGAINST ARIANA COLON BEGAN ON TUESDAY MORNING, THE FIRST WITNESS TO TAKE THE STAND, A 911 DISPATCHER IN SAINT LUCIE COUNTY. THAT 911 CALL PLAYED OUT IN THE COURTROOM AND IN IT YOU COULD HEAR SCREAMING AND WAILING FROM THE CHILD’S MOTHER AS THE DISPATCHER TRIED TO GET A HANDLE ON THE SITUATION, SOME OF THE JURORS APPEARED TO BE NOTICEABLY SHAKEN. SERVING ON THE JURY. THERE ARE SIX JURORS AND TWO ALTERNATES. A MONTH AGO, A MISTRIAL WAS GRANTED BY A JUDGE WHEN THE DEFENSE OBJECTED FROM HEARING TESTIMONY FROM A HANDFUL OF STATE WITNESSES. THE STATE SAYS COLON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HITTING AND KILLING A TEN YEAR OLD GIRL WHILE SHE WAS WALKING TO HER SCHOOL BUS ALONG OLEANDER AVENUE. IT HAPPENED BACK ON SEPTEMBER 23RD IN 2021. IN FORT PIERCE, THE STATE ARGUES COLON BYPASSED STOP SIGNS AND FAILED TO REMAIN AT THE SCENE AFTER THE CRASH. SHE LATER TURNED HERSELF IN, BUT ONLY AFTER THE STATE SAYS SHE MADE CALLS TO COVER UP THE CRIME, ASKING A FRIEND TO HELP HER FIX THE WINDSHIELD SHE HAD, WHICH HAD BEEN DAMAGED FROM THE IMPACT. ARRESTING DOCUMENTS ALSO SHOW COLON WAS SPEEDING. THE DEFENSE, HOWEVER, CLAIMS SHE NEVER SAW THE CHILD AND SAY OLEANDER AVENUE IS A VERY DARK ROAD WITHOUT ANY STREET LIGHTS, AND HER MOTHER KNEELED DOWN NEXT TO HER DAUGHTER HELPLESSLY WATCHING HER DAUGHTER TAKE HER FINAL BREATHS. IT WAS A DARK MORNING. AS YOU LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THIS VEHICLE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE DAMAGE TO THIS VEHICLE IS TO THE LOWER RIGHT FRONT OF THE BUMPER, COLON FACES VARIOUS CHARGES, INCLUDING LEAVING THE SCENE OF AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING A DEATH AND VEHICULAR HOMICIDE. WE’RE TOLD THE TRIAL IS EXPECTED TO WRAP BY THURSDAY. REPORTING FROM FORT PIERCE. I’M JOSS