Last night in West Miami-Dade, a stolen vehicle pursuit escalated into a high-speed chase culminating in a rollover crash near Florida International University (FIU). The chaotic incident which began just after 9:30 p.m. at the intersection of Southwest Eighth Street and 109th Avenue, followed a police pursuit involving a dark pickup truck confirmed by authorities to be stolen. WSVN reported that police originally spotted the vehicle zooming north on State Road 821 before it tragically collided with another vehicle, sending it into a dangerous flip that finished on its roof on a bridge.
As the suspect attempted to escape, Eduardo Jesus Pastrana, 25, was taken into custody after a struggle with officers at the scene. "Due to the collision, the suspect vehicle rolled over and came to its final rest on its roof on the bridge north of the intersection," CBS Miami detailed, showcasing the aftermath of the wreck that ensued as a result of this high-speed incident.
The incident required response from multiple law enforcement agencies including Sweetwater Police, FIU Police, and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), which was reported during a hectic sequence of radio communications. According to the recordings captured during the event, "We have multiple people involved in a 317. We need multiple fire rescue," an officer is heard requesting additional support, while a woman relayed the situation: "Be advised we have units working a 22. You’re going to have a rollover by FIU. It’s going to be Southwest Eighth Street and 109th Avenue go ahead and slow. They have one in custody," as per WSVN report.
Pastrana now faces multiple charges, including grand theft vehicle, fleeing and eluding police with lights and siren, and resisting an officer with violence. Following his attempt to flee from the overturned vehicle's driver's side, officers had to engage in a physical altercation to bring him into compliance. Subsequent to the crash, multiple vehicles involved suffered damage and the area was closed to traffic for hours as investigators processed the scene. Pastrana's bond has been set at $2,500 for each of the two charges, while the bond for the grand theft vehicle charge is pending, as cited by WSVN. A hold for a magistrate has also been issued, meaning that the bond will be set at a later date, with Pastrana expected to face a judge on Thursday morning.
Miami-Dade detectives are now in charge of the ongoing investigation due to multiple charges pending against Pastrana related to other stolen vehicles.
