According to reports, a 43-year-old 20-year veteran from the Miami-Dade Police Department and Video Forensic Unit detective whose exemplary work was recognized by the Secret Service was involved in an incident that could tarnish his stellar reputation.
Early in the afternoon on March 5, the man was on-duty driving an unmarked Miami-Dade County vehicle. While on a street with a construction crew, the man allegedly encountered a marked Miami-Dade Police Department car parked on the side of the road with an officer seated inside.
According to reports, the man crashed into the police car from behind and then got out of the unmarked SUV. The officer in the marked car reported that the officer who allegedly drove the SUV into his car seemed to have trouble standing upright. The man also allegedly pulled out his gun, and the other officer successfully got him to drop it by giving a verbal command.
After putting down his weapon, the officer was detained. He spoke to a different officer who was sitting in the car and allegedly said he drank too much alcohol. He was asked to take roadside sobriety tests, but the man reportedly refused.
He was taken to the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Center on preliminary charges of driving under the influence, and DUI with damage to property or person. He was released after posting a $2,000 bond, and it was reported that he is no longer employed at the police department.
The injuries the officer in the parked car sustained were reported as non-life threatening.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a DUI offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.