Restaurant holds fundraiser for family in Miami crash

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A restaurant plans to donate thousands of dollars to a Lawrenceville family involved in a freak accident in Miami.

South Florida authorities told Channel 2 Action News the Diaz family had just left a Marlins baseball game when a man driving a minivan had some kind of medical condition and ran over the family.

Three members of the Diaz family died and another was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.

On Monday, owners of the Miami-based chicken chain Pollo Tropical held a benefit for the Diaz family.

The manager of a Pollo store in Lawrenceville told Channel 2's Erica Byfield the company does not have any ties to the victims, but she felt compelled to donate.

"Sometimes there are still people that care about one another from the heart," said Vanessa Cavalliery.

Several people who heard about the accident on the news showed up to eat.

"It was just crazy. Mind blowing is the best way I could put it," said customer Jemeka Harris.

Members of the Diaz family did not attend the fundraiser. They buried 14-year-old Franklin Diaz on Monday. The boy, his grandmother and aunt all died in the crash.  Franklin's younger sister is still recovering in a hospital.

The Pollo Tropical plans to donate 15 percent of Monday's proceeds to the family.  The fundraiser ends at midnight.

WSBTV