Police say the suspect turned himself in after a crash that killed a bicyclist before dawn.
HIALEAH, FL — A 21-year-old Hialeah man was arrested after police said he struck and killed a bicyclist before dawn Thursday, then left the scene of the crash on East Okeechobee Road.
The arrest moved a traffic homicide case into court as relatives of 37-year-old Kenneth William Wimbley Jr. mourned a man they said was working when he was hit. Police identified the suspect as Leonel Alejandro Laferte, who faces charges tied to leaving the crash scene and driving with a suspended license.
The crash happened around 4:11 a.m. Thursday near Southeast Fourth Avenue and East Okeechobee Road, a busy stretch in Hialeah. Investigators said Wimbley was riding a bicycle northbound and trying to cross East Okeechobee Road when a 2022 Kia Stinger hit him in the center lane. He was taken first to Hialeah Hospital and later transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where he died. Kenneth Wimbley Sr., the victim’s father, said his son had been delivering for Uber Eats and was headed to another job. “It’s like I lost my best friend,” he said. “Just imagine how my family is crying, especially his mother.”
Police said Laferte went to Hialeah Police Department headquarters on June 11 and asked to speak with traffic homicide detectives. According to the arrest report, he told investigators he had been driving the Kia involved in the crash and admitted after being read his rights that he was involved. Investigators also cited evidence from the scene and surveillance video. The report said Laferte did not immediately stop, stay at the scene or provide aid as required by Florida law. Police said his driver’s license was suspended at the time. Officials have not said whether speed, impairment or distraction played a role in the crash.
The case drew attention across South Florida because it involved a bicyclist killed while relatives said he was working before sunrise. Family members described Wimbley as hardworking and said he was crossing a heavily traveled road after leaving the Miami Springs area. Hialeah police spokesperson Eddie Rodriguez said the vehicle involved was dark-colored and fled after impact. The crash left investigators searching for the driver until Laferte later appeared at police headquarters. Police said the investigation remains active, and authorities have not released all details about the moments before the collision.
Laferte appeared before Miami-Dade Circuit Judge David H. Young on Friday. The judge found probable cause and set bond at $50,000. If Laferte posts bond, he must remain on house arrest under court-ordered conditions. During the hearing, a prosecutor asked for the $50,000 bond with house arrest, while the defense sought a lower standard bond and said Laferte had lived in South Florida his entire life. Young called the allegations serious, noting that the case involved a driver accused of being on the road without a valid license, striking someone and not stopping to help.
Wimbley’s father said the family is trying to trust the justice system but remains shaken by the way his son died. He said the hardest part was knowing the driver left without calling for help. “You just left him out there,” he said. “You didn’t even call to say something.” Relatives said Wimbley was doing food delivery work when he was struck, a detail that deepened their grief because they believe he was simply trying to earn a living. The family said it wants accountability as the criminal case moves forward.
Laferte was booked on one count of leaving the scene of a crash involving death and one count of driving with a suspended license. Jail records showed he was held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The next steps in the case will include further court proceedings and continued review by traffic homicide investigators.
Author note: Last updated June 13, 2026.