Ravon Rousseau
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A man was charged months after a Winston-Salem mother was killed while driving a cab to save for daughter's birthday and baptism.
On Nov. 14, 32-year-old Olivia Florez, of Winston-Salem, was driving a Universal Taxi Cab when she pulled out of a shopping center and drove southbound on New Walkertown Road.
Another vehicle, a 2006 Infiniti, was traveling northbound on New Walkertown Road. The cars then collided, and Florez died at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle ran away before police could get there.
Police have now charged Ravon Rousseau with second degree murder, felony hit and run, speed competition, driving while license revoked, careless and reckless driving, fictitious tag, no insurance, passing in the center turn lane and exceeding the posted speed limit.
Rousseau was already in jail at the Forsyth County Detention Center on unrelated charges.
As a result of the wreck, a large, diverse family is without one of their loved ones.
“Did they even check on her? Did she say anything? Did she say anything? Did she have any last words?” said Tammy Woodel, Olivia Florez’s half-sister, back in November.
Surrounded by a kitchen and living room filled with other family members, Woodel detailed that Florez was a mother of two girls, ages 15 and 2, and a stepmother to two boys, ages 11 and 10.
“She loved her babies. That’s why she was doing this, is for extra money,” Woodel said of why Florez was driving a cab.
Woodel detailed that Florez was driving the cab to save money for her youngest daughter’s birthday and baptism, which would take place in a couple months.
“When she didn’t have money to even help, she would say, ‘OK, I’ll help, I’ll pay for this. I’ll figure it out,’” Woodel said, when asked to describe her sister. “If she had to go pawn her rings to get the money to help somebody else she would.”
Winston-Salem police are still investigating the case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Winston-Salem Police Department at (336) 773-7700 or Crime Stoppers at (336) 727-2800.