JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man charged in the hit-and-run death of a scooter rider was set to make his first appearance before a judge again Wednesday, but it was waived.
Santos Herrera-Montiel's first appearance was delayed Tuesday because an interpreter did not show up, but one did show up Wednesday.
Investigators said Herrera-Montiel, 33, struck and killed Michael Moon (pictured below), 37, early Monday morning while Moon was riding his scooter home from work on the Westside. The Florida Highway Patrol said Herrera-Montiel then left the scene before turning himself in hours later.
Moon's relatives said they're trying to move forward after his death.
"We're taking it day-by-day," said Sean Baccus, Moon's nephew. "It's very hard because we're all very close, a very close family. Just doing the best that we can."
Baccus can't believe his uncle is gone.
"He's just a great man, always found a way to make you happy," Baccus said.
Herrera-Montiel, who's charged with leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death, isn't the only case in the area in which an interpreter has been needed recently.
In Clay County, a father who lived in Mexico testified in a case about a mother who deputies said failed to protect her daughter from being sexually molested.
The Duval County court administrator said interpreters are contracted. He said normally someone is notified
that an interpreter is needed, and at the scheduled first appearance Tuesday, it was the first time there was no notification. The administrator said he's working to make sure something like that doesn't happen again.
As Herrera-Montiel remains in jail, Moon's family members are still trying to deal with the pain.
"My niece, which would be his great-niece, we had write messages on a balloon," Baccus said. "Because they're really young -- 5 and 2 -- so they don't quite understand -- had them write messages and released them saying the messages would reach him in heaven."
If Herrera-Montiel is convicted in the hit-and-run, he could be deported. He's set to appear in court again on Dec. 3.
A GoFundMe account has been created to help Moon's family pay for funeral expenses. To donate, go to gofundme.com/michaelmoonfuneral.