Three months ago, our firm reported on the case of Marcos Gonzalez-Balboa, a personal injury lawyer who has been charged with DUI and manslaughter for the hit-and-run death of Tatum Holloway. Mr. Gonzalez-Balboa allegedly hit and killed Ms. Holloway shortly after 1:45 AM on Dec. 7 of last year with his 2013 Mercedes-Benz C250.
Ms. Holloway, who was in town for a training, was crossing the street after getting food when Mr. Gonzalez-Balboa sped through her, knocking her to the curb. He then fled the scene. Prosecutors say he then parked his car near his Miami Lakes office (only a mile or so down the road) with a damaged windshield and bumper.
Police initially had only found the damaged car, but investigators were able to eventually connect the car to Gonzalez-Balboa—who initially told police that a coconut caused damage to his car. He had also recently replaced his windshield when the investigators stopped him.
Footage Shows Undamaged Car Leaving Bar Minutes Before Crash
Yesterday, during Gonzalez-Balboa's criminal trial, prosecutors revealed footage that helps piece together the night's events.
The first of three clips shows Gonzalez-Balboa in a Coral Gables parking garage struggling to leave. At first, he couldn't figure out how to navigate the exit that was blocked by a mechanical arm. A passerby had to direct him to the pre-pay machine, where he spent almost 5 minutes attempting to pay for his ticket.
Most importantly, the footage showed that when he left the garage, his car was undamaged.
Prosecutors also brought forward FBI analysis that places Gonzalez-Balboa on his phone in the area of the crash around the time of the crash. Receipts from the bar that night show that he had racked up 19 drinks on his tab before spending several minutes struggling to leave the parking garage. It's not clear how many of those drinks were actually consumed by him.
The second clip placed Ms. Holloway at the scene of the crash around the same time that Mr. Gonzalez-Balboa was leaving the bar.
The third clip was from Mr. Gonzalez-Balboa's neighbor—they have a surveillance system—showing the man pulling into his driveway with a damaged bumper and windshield minutes after the crash.
Mr. Gonzalez-Balbo has pleaded “not guilty” to his charges.
Justice for the Holloways
Tatum Holloway, 26, was an art auctioneer from South Africa. She worked for a company that operated galleries on cruise ships and held live auctions. She was only supposed to be in Miami for a few days.
Our Miami personal injury law firm represents Tatum Holloway's parents, who have been looking for answers since her death 7 months ago. For four of those months, the identity of Ms. Holloway's killer was unknown. With the state's case solidifying against Mr. Gonzalez-Balboa, they're beginning to get answers about what happened that night on Miami Lakes Drive.