A young man faces murder and robbery charges in the death of a Highbridge grandmother, Rosa Roman, 51, who was killed when a taxi ran her over on University Avenue just after midnight on Nov. 7. The driver had lost control of the car because a man armed with a knife was robbing him, police said.

Kelvin Vazquez, 21, of 1790 Prospect Avenue, was charged with second degree murder and first degree robbery after being arrested Nov. 11 thanks to a Crime Stoppers tip, police said. He was remanded to custody. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Roman was well known in Highbridge, a 20-year resident of Highbridge Houses. She was the married mother of two daughters, 17 and 21, and a photo placed on a street-side memorial showed her cradling a grandchild.

"Everyone knew her," said India Echeverria, a close friend who has collected hundreds of dollars in the community to help the family pay funeral costs. "She was able to identify with people and their struggles in life because she had known it. She loved her husband so much."

Brunilda Ramirez, a friend of Roman's, said the taxi hit Roman as she was walking behind her husband on the sidewalk. They were going to a store to buy some cigarettes, she said. The taxi driver fled the car and the robber chased after him. Roman's husband ran after them, but returned to his dying wife. The taxi driver sustained minor injuries in a scuffle and the robber fled.