(May 31, 2024) On Sunday, May 26, 2024, at approximately 5:43 pm, Officers working for the Cape Coral Police Department responded to a hit-and-run traffic crash around the 700 block of SW Pine Island Road in Cape Coral, Florida.
One of the vehicles involved in the accident was a blue Jeep that was flipped on its roof. The driver of that vehicle was immediately taken to the hospital for serious injuries. The other vehicle involved left the scene of the accident. That vehicle was an older model, maroon Lexus with a ladder on top.
The Cape Coral Police Department released a photo of the maroon Lexus on social media, asking the community to help Officers look for the vehicle. Although the tag was visible, the car did not return to the address it was registered to.
On Thursday, May 30, 2024, a citizen called in a suspicious vehicle in an empty residential lot in Southwest Cape Coral. The caller stated there was a red Lexus SUV with significant damage. The vehicle was abandoned and unoccupied. Detectives responded and observed blue paint transfer on the vehicle. The vehicle was seized and towed for further investigation.
On Friday, May 31, 2024, a Facebook post was located giving a tip that the owner of the Red Lexus SUV lived at 504 SW 11th Place, Cape Coral, Florida.
Using this tip, Detectives located the Domingo Ruiz Salazar (DOB 4/21/1985), the registered owner of the vehicle.  Domingo Ruiz Salazar admitted that he was the driver of the maroon Lexus involved in the accident on Pine Island Road with the blue Jeep. He stated that he felt like he did not have to stop because he believed the crash was partially the other driver’s fault. He acknowledged that he left his car in an empty parking lot away from his house with the keys in the ignition.
Domingo Ruiz Salazar was arrested and taken to Lee County Jail on the following charges:
–1 count in violation of F.S.S. 316.027(2a), Hit and Run causing injury to another person
–1 count in violation of F.S.S. 316.061(1), Hit and Run causing damage to attended property
–1 count in violation of F.S.S. 322.03, Florida License required when accepting employment in this state