Suspected Drunk Driver Says It Was 'Just a Homeless Person' After Fatal Hit-And-Run: Police
A suspected drunk driver exclaimed to police that it was "just a homeless person" after she struck and killed a woman with her car in Florida, per Miami authorities. Ivana Gomez was allegedly seen by police speeding in her BMW through Miami on May 30 around 1 a.m. before she hit 41-year-old Kathryn Kipnis as Kipnis was attempting to cross a Miami street. Officials say Kipnis was hit so hard, her head in fact burst through the windshield, leaving a chunk of her hair stuck in the glass. Gomez, 32, is now facing vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter charges after her toxicology report showed she had blood alcohol content (BAC) levels over the legal limit when she allegedly hit and killed Kipnis in Little Havana. "The defendant's flagrant disregard for human life by striking the victim and fleeing the scene demonstrates a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others," read her updated arrest documents, following the toxicology results. According to initial arrest documents obtained by CBS News, Gomez was driving so fast that the officer who first spotted her had to "travel over 100 mph" just to catch up.T he officer did eventually catch up with Gomez and allegedly witnessed her hitting Kipnis, who was then carried by the car for approximately 231 feet before her body was "violently thrown off." Kipnis died at the scene. The officer activated his lights and siren, however, Gomez still did not stop, say police, who didn't reach her until she was forced to stop at a red light with traffic. Officials said she smelled strongly of alcohol, had bloodshot and watery eyes and failed an eye exam field sobriety test; Police also said they noticed "fresh vomit" in the vehicle. She was then put into a cruiser, where she allegedly told officers the woman she hit was "just a homeless person" and that it was "just an accident," the documents said. Results from her blood test taken 2.5 hours after the crash revealed that her BAC levels were between 0.162 and 0.159 g/100ml, the documents said. The legal BAC limit in Florida is 0.08 g/100ml or 0.08%. Another blood sample was taken around 7 a.m., nearly six hours after the crash, and reportedly showed a blood alcohol level of .088. When Gomez appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge William Altfield in May following the crash, she denied ever saying Kipnis was "just a homeless person." "Your Honor, I never said that. I did not say that whatsoever. That's false," said Gomez, per WSVN. Not that it matters, but Kipnis was not homeless. The victim's father Daniel told NBC6 that she lived in the area and was on her way home after a night out with friends. "No one ever expects their child to go before them," father Daniel Kipnis said. Gomez is facing DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges and remains locked up on a $251,000 bond. NBC Miami released new bodycam video just this week, showing Gomez after she was arrested. The footage doesn't show the alleged "homeless" comment, and was filmed as officers conducted a full body search.
News Moderator - Tomas Kauer 
The driver allegedly hit the female pedestrian so hard her head burst through the windshield and left a chunk of hair in the glass, as new video shows the suspect shortly after the crash.
A suspected drunk driver exclaimed to police that it was "just a homeless person" after she struck and killed a woman with her car in Florida, per Miami authorities.
Ivana Gomez was allegedly seen by police speeding in her BMW through Miami on May 30 around 1 a.m. before she hit 41-year-old Kathryn Kipnis as Kipnis was attempting to cross a Miami street. Officials say Kipnis was hit so hard, her head in fact burst through the windshield, leaving a chunk of her hair stuck in the glass.
Gomez, 32, is now facing vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter charges after her toxicology report showed she had blood alcohol content (BAC) levels over the legal limit when she allegedly hit and killed Kipnis in Little Havana.
"The defendant's flagrant disregard for human life by striking the victim and fleeing the scene demonstrates a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others," read her updated arrest documents, following the toxicology results.
According to initial arrest documents obtained by CBS News, Gomez was driving so fast that the officer who first spotted her had to "travel over 100 mph" just to catch up.T he officer did eventually catch up with Gomez and allegedly witnessed her hitting Kipnis, who was then carried by the car for approximately 231 feet before her body was "violently thrown off."
Kipnis died at the scene.
The officer activated his lights and siren, however, Gomez still did not stop, say police, who didn't reach her until she was forced to stop at a red light with traffic.
Officials said she smelled strongly of alcohol, had bloodshot and watery eyes and failed an eye exam field sobriety test; Police also said they noticed "fresh vomit" in the vehicle. She was then put into a cruiser, where she allegedly told officers the woman she hit was "just a homeless person" and that it was "just an accident," the documents said.
Results from her blood test taken 2.5 hours after the crash revealed that her BAC levels were between 0.162 and 0.159 g/100ml, the documents said. The legal BAC limit in Florida is 0.08 g/100ml or 0.08%. Another blood sample was taken around 7 a.m., nearly six hours after the crash, and reportedly showed a blood alcohol level of .088.
When Gomez appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge William Altfield in May following the crash, she denied ever saying Kipnis was "just a homeless person."
"Your Honor, I never said that. I did not say that whatsoever. That's false," said Gomez, per WSVN.
Not that it matters, but Kipnis was not homeless. The victim's father Daniel told NBC6 that she lived in the area and was on her way home after a night out with friends. "No one ever expects their child to go before them," father Daniel Kipnis said.
Gomez is facing DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide charges and remains locked up on a $251,000 bond.
NBC Miami released new bodycam video just this week, showing Gomez after she was arrested. The footage doesn't show the alleged "homeless" comment, and was filmed as officers conducted a full body search.
