Emily Fasano appears in a booking photo (Broward Sheriff’s Office)
A Florida woman is behind bars for the death of a cyclist who police say she killed in a hit-and-run crash before altering her appearance in an effort to try and elude law enforcement several years ago.
Emily Fasano, 25, currently stands accused of one count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. A no-bond warrant was issued for her arrest last week and she turned herself in at the Broward County jail on Tuesday.
The underlying incident occurred on Sept. 7, 2022, just outside of Fasano’s residence on North Hiatus Road in the medium-sized, suburban city of Plantation in South Florida. At 7:38 p.m. that night, Fasano allegedly veered into a bike lane and struck a cyclist with her 2017 Jeep Renegade, according to the Plantation Police Department.
“This was supported by the tire marks, gouge marks and a debris field which was left on the roadway,” according to an affidavit of probable cause. “The front, right side of the vehicle’s bumper struck [redacted] first, which caused him to travel onto the hood of Fasano’s vehicle and then smashing the passenger side of Fasano’s windshield. Due to the severity of the damage on the windshield, Fasano would have had knowledge of striking a person.”
Only after the cyclist was struck, did the Jeep make a swift swerve, police say — a far-too-late evasive effort.
“The tire marks started in the center of the bike lane and continued back into the outside thru lane,” police wrote. “Fasano immediately continued driving and never stopped to check on the bicyclist, render aide or remain on scene for police arrival.”
Citing cellphone records and surveillance footage, police say Fasano got home roughly five minutes after the crash. The affidavit takes a detailed approach to the timeline and defendant’s appearance.
“Surveillance footage also supported Fasano was the sole occupant to exit the vehicle and that she was wearing a black tank top and gray shorts,” the affidavit reads. “Her hair appeared to be dry and wavy.”
After being home for all of 12 minutes, Fasano “attempted to leave her residence,” according to police.
“She changed her appearance by wearing a gray tank top; pink pants and her hair was wet and straight down,” the affidavit reads.
A Ring Doorbell allegedly caught the defendant walking out her front door toward her battered Jeep — but then police vehicles appeared.
“When she noticed the police vehicles, she immediately crouched down in the attempt to conceal herself, on the side of another vehicle in the driveway,” the affidavit goes on. “She then quickly walked back to the front door of the residence but never entered the residence concealing herself behind a wall of the residence.”
Police then got into a granular recounting of the alleged ducking.
“Fasano remained there for approximately 84 seconds,” the affidavit continues. “However, after standing there for approximately 51 seconds, Fasano crouched down and peeked around the edge of the wall to look where the police units were at. She then remained behind the wall for approximately another 20 seconds. During those 20 seconds, Fasano appeared to be confused/indecisive on what to do. First, she was going to walk back into the residence but did not, then she turned around a few times as she did not know what to do.”
Finally, the defendant opted to walk toward the Jeep and unlock the doors. Then, “lights flashed” and she was questioned by officers.
“Once Fasano observed the police cars, her actions were not normal behaviors for someone that did anything wrong,” police opined.
A resulting investigation resulted in a witness identifying Fasano as looking “very much like” the woman who drove the Jeep that struck and killed the cyclist, according to police. That same witness was “100 percent” certain the Jeep in question was the same vehicle parked in front of Fasano’s residence.
Investigators later executed a warrant to collect DNA from the broken windshield — concluding it was over 4 billion times more likely than not that the victim’s DNA was on the defendant’s small SUV.
The affidavit also charges Fasano with one count of tampering with evidence — though she was not arrested on that particular crime.
“Upon determining that Fasano knowingly fled the scene of a traffic crash, it was also revealed Fasano drove to her residence where she altered her attire and hairstyle in an effort to change her physical appearance,” police wrote.
Fasano entered a not guilty plea; she is being held on $75,000 bond.
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