Hit-and-run driver allegedly told cops victim ‘was just a homeless person'
Ivana Gomez and the blue BMW she was driving
The driver of a BMW who hit a woman so hard her head went through the windscreen allegedly told cops 'it was just a homeless person'.
Florida woman Ivana Gomez is in Miami-Dade County jail following the fatal hit-and-run crash.
She is behind bars after cops say she fatally struck the pedestrian before driving away.
She then dismissed her actions by allegedly saying the victim was 'just a homeless person.'
Gomez (32) is facing charges of leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death and resisting an officer without violence.
Ivana Gomez and the blue BMW she was driving
News in 90 Seconds - 5th June 2025
According to an arrest report, Gomez had passed a police officer while driving the BMW at a high rate of speed moments before she struck the pedestrian.
She didn't stop even after the officer activated his lights and siren and only came to a halt when she reached a red light with two vehicles in front of her.
The officer noted in the report that Gomez had a strong odour of alcohol on her breath and bloodshot, watery eyes.
She declined to complete a sobriety test and requested to speak to an attorney.
She was the only one in the car and was arrested. When she was in the back of a patrol car, police said, 'she spontaneously stated that it was just a homeless person that I hit and it is just an accident.'
Gomez denied making the statement, insisting: 'I did not say that whatsoever. That's false.'
However, Gomez's 'disregard for human life by fleeing the scene and possibly being under the influence of an alcoholic beverage demonstrates a reckless and wanton disregard for the safety of others,' a court report reads.
According to a court report, the victim, identified as 41-year-old Katherine Kipnis, was hit so hard some of her hair was embedded in the BMW's windshield and found on the front passenger headrest.
Kipnis' cousin who spoke during the hearing, asked the judge to be 'aware of what a shining light has been taken out of this world by the incredible irresponsibility of this defendant'.
The victim's father spoke with local ABC affiliate WPLG on Friday.
'My daughter was vivacious, lovable. Everyone really liked her. She was tough, but in a good way,' he told the outlet. 'I just think back, I spoke to her last night at 6 o'clock when she told me, 'I love you, Dad.' That's the last thing she said to me.'
Prosecutors say Gomez could face additional charges including vehicular homicide after further investigation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
2 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man who brought €50k of cannabis into Ireland to pay off drug debt is jailed
Gda McBrearty said cannabis valued at just under €50,000 was found in Kay's luggage. An English man who transported almost €50,000 of cannabis into Ireland to pay off a drug debt has been given a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence. Alexander Kay (26) initially told gardai he smoked cannabis and was bringing it home from Thailand as it was cheaper to buy there, but later admitted it was not for his own use. Kay of Jupiter Grove, Wigan, United Kingdom, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the importation of cannabis at Dublin Airport on November 21, 2024. He has no previous convictions. Stock image: Getty Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 19th Garda Noel McBrearty told Kieran Kelly BL, prosecuting, that customs officers found an anomaly in Kay's baggage as he was transiting through Dublin from Abu Dhabi, on his return from Thailand. Gda McBrearty said cannabis valued at just under €50,000 was found in Kay's luggage. Michael Hourican SC, defending, said the reality was that his client was bringing the drugs back to clear a drug debt. He asked the court to take into account his early guilty plea and co-operation in relation to his own role. He said he committed the offence at the behest of others to whom he owed money. He outlined Kay's personal circumstances and told the court he had been studying engineering at Salford University but took a study break to travel. He was also involved in sport to a significant extent, including a trial with a football club. Mr Hourican handed in several testimonials. Mr Hourican said his client had a good start in life but fell into recreational drug use and alcohol misuse against the backdrop of his parents' marriage breakup. He said Kay had been on a good path, but stumbled and suggested that when this case is dealt with, he will resume a positive path. Counsel said Kay has been using his time in custody well, but will serve his time away from home. Judge Martin Nolan set a headline sentence of five years but imposed a two-and-a-half-year sentence, noting there was substantial mitigation in the case.
Sunday World
16 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man who rubbed chilli powder on colleague's face found not guilty of attempted murder
insanity verdict | He was found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity. Stock image: Getty The Central Criminal Court trial of Jineesh John (43) heard that the defendant had developed a delusional belief that his former colleague had infected him with HIV by kissing him. There had never been any physical contact between Mr John and the woman, the court heard, but he had developed a preoccupation of which she was unaware. Mr Justice Paul McDermott today told the jury of seven men and five women that consultant forensic psychiatrists called by the prosecution and defence had agreed that Mr John fulfilled the criteria for the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. Stock image: Getty Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 18th Mr Justice McDermott told the jury that they must return verdicts in accordance with the evidence they heard. The jury took about 40 minutes to reach their verdicts. Mr Justice McDermott remanded Mr John to the Central Mental Hospital until July 28 when a psychiatrist will deliver a report regarding Mr John's ongoing treatment. The judge also told the injured party in the case that she had shown "extraordinary courage". In other circumstances she would have an opportunity to address the court about what happened, he said, but he wanted to acknowledge the courage she showed in dealing with the situation in which she found herself. The court heard that she managed to calm Mr John down by talking to him. Mr John, with an address at The Crescent Building, Park West, Dublin 12 had pleaded not guilty to attempted murder at a location in West Dublin on May 21, 2023. Read more Mr John also pleaded not guilty to making a threat to kill or cause the woman serious harm without lawful excuse, intending her to believe that the said threat would be carried out. He further pleaded not guilty to falsely imprisoning the woman by intentionally or recklessly detaining her without her consent. In addition, the defendant pleaded not guilty to producing a hammer on the same date, while committing or appearing to be about to commit an offence of false imprisonment. The jury found him not guilty by reason of insanity on all counts. Giving evidence in the two-day trial, Detective Garda Thomas Balfe told prosecutor Brendan Grehan SC that both the woman and the defendant worked in healthcare and they met in April or May 2021. On May 21, 2023 Mr John arranged to call to the woman's house to fill out a church form. He arrived at about 8.30pm and she got into the car, not suspecting anything. However, Mr John then started to drive before pulling up on a footpath beside an industrial estate. The detective said when the car was pulled over, Mr John told the woman to close her eyes as he wanted to give her a surprise. When she opened her eyes he was holding a hammer and rubbed a handful of hot chilli powder in her face, which stung her eyes and lips. When the woman tried to get out of the car she could see that the doors were sealed with black sticky tape. She thought Mr John was going to kill her and started preaching at him not to do so. The witness said Mr John kept saying: "I'm going to kill you, say your last prayer". He told her he had never killed before but he was going to kill her. Mr John told the woman that she had given him a sexually transmitted disease (STD) to which she replied that she had never slept with him. Mr John said he would only let her go on condition she said she gave him an STD. Mr John proceeded to record on his mobile phone the woman saying she gave him an STD in 2021 despite never kissing or having sexual contact with him. He made another video of the woman saying she gave him an STD through kissing. He then dropped her home. Det Gda Balfe said gardai later found a black-handled knife inside the driver's door of Mr John's car as well as a hatchet, a lump hammer and containers containing a chilli like substance. Black duct tape and adhesive taping were also seized from inside the passenger door as well as a Jerrycan containing petrol. Consultant forensic psychiatrist Dr Stephen Monks, who was called by the defence, told Fiona Murphy SC that when he met Mr John in April and October 2024, Mr John remained 90 per cent convinced the victim deliberately infected him with HIV, despite medical evidence to the contrary. Numerous medical tests had shown Mr John to be negative for any sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. Dr Monks said Mr John is suffering from delusional disorder and depression, which are both mental illnesses. He said Mr John's actions were directly driven by delusional thinking in response to the psychotic belief that he had been harmed by the victim. He said Mr John met the three criteria for a mental disorder under the Criminal Law Insanity Act 2006; namely that he did not know the nature and quality of his act, that he did not know what he was doing was wrong and that he was unable to refrain from committing the act. Consultant psychiatrist Dr Ronan Mullaney, who was called by the prosecution, agreed with Dr Monks that Mr John was suffering from depression and a delusional disorder. Such was the nature and degree of disturbance and impairment of Mr John's mental function that he did not know that his actions were wrong and he was unable to refrain. Dr Mullaney said Mr John therefore fulfils the criteria for the special verdict.
Sunday World
20 hours ago
- Sunday World
Mum allegedly caught with €30k of drugs in airport after holiday in Lanzarote
Caroline Davey, 53, of Raithín, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, appeared at Dublin District Court today, charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act. A Midlands mother was stopped coming through Dublin Airport with €30,000 worth of cannabis resin after enjoying a birthday party in Lanzarote, it has been alleged. Caroline Davey, 53, of Raithín, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, appeared at Dublin District Court today, charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act. She is accused of unlawful possession and importation of five kilos of the drug and of having it for sale or supply. Lanzarote. Photo: Stock image: Getty Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 18th Garda Thomas Burke told Judge Treasa Kelly the accused made no reply when charged, and he objected to her bail. He alleged she was caught 'red-handed' at just after 2am today, at customs in Terminal 1. He gave the value of the five kilos of cannabis resin and said it was 'in vacuum packs in a suitcase'. The garda agreed with defence solicitor, Kelly Breen, that her client, a mother of two, lived in the Midlands. Ms Breen submitted that the accused had significant ties, a home, a long-term partner and family here. Pleading for bail, she said Ms Davey also had health problems, for which she had a hospital appointment booked. Aside from that, the court heard she was on anti-anxiety medication. The judge also noted that gardai had seized her passport, and efforts were underway to contact her partner. The court heard she had been in Lanzarote for a birthday party and had travelled over and back for a number of years. Judge Kelly set her bail at €500 but required approval of a €2,000 independent before she could be freed on conditions: sign on three days a week at her local garda station, not apply for a new passport, provide a phone number and be available for contact 24 hours a day. The accused, who has yet to enter a plea, was remanded in consent to these terms and will appear again next Friday. Legal aid was granted after the court heard she was not working and had applied for social welfare.
