Elderly woman struck, killed while crossing street

A truck driver accused of striking and killing a 78-year-old woman as she crossed the street is facing serious charges.
Investigators said the mother of eight was walking to church at around 8 p.m. Monday when she was struck by a truck near the intersection of Northwest 12th Avenue and 60th Street. "She's been there through all of our craziness. She loved us unconditionally, so it's just a hard hit to take," said Rokeeta Mansfield, the victim's daughter-in-law.

Family members have identified the victim as Fannie Ash. They said she retired a few years ago from Cedars Hospital, where she worked as a housekeeper. "Hard working lady; dedicated to her family," said Mansfield.Police said Ash was allegedly killed by a drunk driver, who initially fled the scene after the accident. However, the driver was encouraged by his family to return to the scene. "Since that time, he has been arrested for DUI," said Miami Police Traffic Homicide Sgt. Luis Taborda.

The driver has been identified as Howard Marty Leven. Police conducted a field sobriety test on Leven before arresting him.
Meanwhile, the victim's family is grieving the loss of their loved on. "We're hurting right now," said Mansfield. "We're really hurting, and we know mistakes can happen; we know that there's accidents, but we just need some type of closure."
A pastor from the church where Ash dedicated her time to said Ash will be missed. "Every Sunday morning you could look for her in service, doing her job, and she was a faithful woman," said Pastor Douglas Cook.