Teen driver accused of killing motorcyclist in Miami bonds out of jail as police add new charges – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

MIAMI (WSVN) – A teen accused of killing a delivery driver on a motorcycle has bonded out of jail one day after he was arrested, but police said he will be back behind bars since he now faces additional charges.

According to City of Miami Police, 17-year-old Omari Terry was behind the wheel of a stolen red Kia when he crashed into 34-year-old John Koontz in Miami, at around 2 a.m. on Tuesday.

Investigators said officers tried to stop Terry, but instead he took off, increased his speed and ran a red light before he caused the fatal crash.

“The Red Kia was traveling southbound on Seventh Avenue, ran the red light and crashed with the motorcyclist that was going eastbound on 20th Street,” said Miami Police Officer Michael Vega.

Officers caught up seconds later and located the crash, with the driver of the motorcycle critically injured.

Paramedics transported Koontz to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.

Koontz family was left devastated, as the father of two was the rock of the family.

“My husband. This is just too crazy for me. He was everything,” said Lizanette Koontz, the victim’s wife. “He has two kids, 2 and 7. They are, like, his world. They see through his eyes.”

Terry, meantime, stayed at the scene and was detained by responding officers. He was initially charged with grand theft auto and booked into jail.

Hours later, he was allowed to bond out before he could be hit with the heavier charge of vehicular homicide.

According to his criminal record, this is the second time in a little over a year that Terry has been hit with a felony charge, In October 2023, he was arrested for attempted murder in connection to a drive-by shooting.

Detectives said Terry told them he was in the car that day, but he wasn’t the shooter. The case against him was eventually dropped.

Now, he faces several new charges and is headed back to jail — as soon as police find him. When they do, he will face an additional charge of driving without a license while being involved in a crash that led to a death.

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