(WSVN) - A South Florida man is desperate for answers after his brother jumped from a bridge and drowned. But this story has more than one twist. Karen Hensel has tonight’s 7 Investigates.
Forty-six-year-old Anthony Gonzalez worked as a production engineer, posted about being vegan and as a former college baseball player spent a lot of time at the gym.
Emy Gonzalez, brother: “My brother was the type of person that he was really outgoing, give the shirt off his back. He was an athlete, loved by everybody he worked with, family and friends.”
Anthony’s final post to Facebook was Sept. 13, talking about coming back to Miami Lakes, telling friends, “I just moved back from LA 7 months ago.”
Emy Gonzalez: “What I know about that night was that my brother had found himself in a very dangerous situation.”
That night is Oct. 30, one that brings not only heartache but questions for his family.
Police said Anthony Gonzalez carjacked a woman, sideswiped another driver, then jumped off the Julia Tuttle Causeway, into the water.
Emy Gonzalez: “When they found my brother, he was still alive.”
He would later die at the hospital.
Emy Gonzalez: “My initial thought was that that wasn’t him. My brother will never do that. He will never– he wouldn’t take his life. He will never take his life.”
His brother believes he was actually running for his life.
Emy Gonzalez: “My brother was in fear for his life, whatever situation that he was in, that definitely he thought that was going to cost him his life … frantically waving down passengers in their car, and he was full of blood in his head.”
According to this Miami Police report, a witness told police Anthony Gonzalez had approached him “asking for a ride.”
The man refused because he was “bloodied and seemed to be under the influence.”
Soon after, a woman was stopped in traffic at 79th and Northeast Second Avenue.
That’s when police say Anthony Gonzalez forced her from her car “throwing her to the ground.”
Emy believes his brother took the car out of desperation and fear.
Emy Gonzalez: “He was involved in some type of altercation, maybe. What I think, they tried to rob him. They tried to take his vehicle. They tried to take his money, whatever it was, you know. But that’s not normal to have somebody in the middle of the street waving on cars full of blood.”
His car, keys, wallet and cell phone were all missing
Then they noticed something odd after he died, his car was racking up tolls on Sunpass.
Emy Gonzalez: “I went into the area where the initial incident took place, and I was able to locate his car within 20 minutes … the car passed right by me.”
He immediately called police and the car was impounded.
Now detectives are investigating.
Anthony Gonzalez was driving a 2016 white Nissan Altima. If you saw something near 79th Street and Northeast Second Avenue the night of Oct. 30, please call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. For one family, one call could make the difference.
CONTACT 7 INVESTIGATES:
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