Officials in Florida have confirmed the identity of an 18-year-old woman whose body was found floating in a canal after she was thrown from a motorcycle in a crash that also hurt three other people.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO) said on Tuesday, Sept. 16, that the victim was Angelina Plasencia.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies first responded around 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 14, after a report that Plasencia was missing near NW 72 Avenue and NW 58 Street. Detectives from the MDSO Missing Persons Unit searched the area but could not find her.
The next morning, Monday, Sept. 15, detectives returned to the area and spotted what looked like a body floating in a canal. MDSO divers recovered it.
Investigators later discovered that several people in a vehicle had been involved in a crash at NW 74 Avenue and NW 58 Street.
“One of the occupants exited to check on the driver of the other vehicle. The remaining passengers fled the scene in the vehicle,” the sheriff’s office said. “Soon after, the same vehicle was involved in another crash on the Northbound ramp of SR 826 at NW 58 Street. The occupants left the vehicle, ran on foot, and were later picked up by a friend riding a motorcycle.”
Shortly after, that motorcycle was involved in a crash at NW 72 Avenue and NW 58 Street, which threw all four people off.
“Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded and transported a male and two females in critical condition to a local hospital,” the sheriff’s office said. “The fourth passenger of the motorcycle, who was the reported missing person found deceased, was identified as 18-year-old Ms. Angelina Plasencia.”
Authorities have not named the other three crash victims. Traffic homicide detectives from the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office are investigating.
