Cuban man arrested in fatal collision with Colombian teen in Miami-Dade

Miami-Dade Authorities have arrested a Cuban man accused of fatally beating an 18-year-old Colombian teenager and fleeing the scene. The incident occurred on July 15 at approximately 1:15 a.m. The victim, Kevin Daniel Chaparrowas riding his bicycle in the 3200 block of Southwest 127th Avenue in the unconnected area of Tamiami when he was hit from behind by a Jeep Wrangler, leaving him stranded at the scene.

The young man had arrived in the United States three months earlier on a soccer scholarship awarded to him by Millennia Atlantic UniversityOn the night of his death, he was returning home from a Miami mall where he had attended the finals of the Copa America between Colombia and Argentina.

After an investigation, Yoandrys Alfredo García-Garcíaa 40-year-old Cuban resident of west Miami-Dade, was identified as the suspect. According to Local 10, García-García, who has been in the United States for seven years, turned himself in to the Miami-Dade Police Department headquarters with his attorney and gave a full confession. He has been charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and attempted tampering with evidence.

García-García was sent to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center (TDK) and was given a $20,000 bond. If he posts bond and is released on pretrial release, he will be subject to a curfew and will not be allowed to drive.

Family asks for help to return Kevin’s body to Colombia

Meanwhile, Chaparro’s parents, whose son was an only child, have created a GoFundMe account to raise money for the trip to Florida and return their son’s body to Colombia.

“Kevin Daniel grew up in Colombia, but was born in Miami, Florida. From a young age, he dreamed of returning to his hometown to study and settle down in what he called ‘his home.’ At the age of 18, Kevin began the greatest adventure of his life. He worked hard to get excellent grades in high school, became an excellent soccer player and won multiple tournaments,” the request reads.

“His efforts earned him a scholarship to begin his studies in Miami in September. He began his journey on March 29, 2024, working full-time, paying rent, and saving money to support himself while living in Miami. After just three months, he was thriving,” the text adds.

On the night of his death, Kevin was in constant contact with his parents. After the game ended, he called his father in Colombia to say he was going home to Kendall and that he would call again when he got there. The family never received that call.

Kevin’s father, Oscar, asked a friend to go to Kevin’s house to see what had happened. Shortly after, the police arrived with the tragic news of Kevin’s death.

The grieving father appealed to the community for help in identifying the responsible party. “We have not received the body yet because the driver fled, which is considered a homicide, and the body is being held until the investigation is complete,” he explained.

“My son was a star, a son of God, a fan of Millionaires And Real Madridand he wanted to play there and for the United States national team,” he added.