What started as a Sunday evening bike ride in southwest Miami-Dade turned into a life-or-death emergency when a driver allegedly slammed into a cyclist and took off, deputies say. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responded near the 2600 block of SW 139th Avenue around 6 p.m., and the rider was flown to Jackson South Medical Center in critical condition.
Witnesses told deputies the car involved was an older beige Nissan Altima. A short time later, investigators found a similar Altima parked at a nearby home, its front windshield covered with a blanket and fresh damage matching what you would expect from hitting a person. The vehicle’s owner, identified by authorities as 43-year-old Dwayne Lamont White of Homestead, was brought in for questioning and ultimately arrested, according to WSVN.
What deputies say
During an interview with investigators, White claimed the cyclist threw a brick at his windshield, cracking the glass, before he hit the rider and the bicycle, which deputies say was dragged along the roadway. The victim was found on the swale in front of a home, bleeding from the mouth but still breathing, per WSVN.
Miami-Dade records show White was hit with one count of attempted premeditated murder and one count of leaving the scene of a crash with serious bodily injuries. He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, where a judge denied bond; court documents also list a warrant for a probation violation tied to a prior cocaine-trafficking sentence, according to Local 10.
Legal notes
Under Florida law, leaving the scene of a crash that causes serious bodily injury is a second-degree felony under Florida Statute 316.027. A conviction can bring years behind bars and steep fines. The attempted premeditated murder count is even more serious and would require prosecutors to prove premeditated intent; both charges will now work their way through Miami-Dade’s criminal courts. Florida Statutes
Bicycle safety in context
The arrest lands at a time when the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office has been rolling out targeted enforcement and public outreach aimed at protecting pedestrians and cyclists on local roads. Recent coverage has highlighted the countywide push as part of a broader effort to cut down on serious traffic injuries. pedestrian and bicycle safety campaign
Investigators are still processing the crash scene and combing through evidence. Officials have not released the cyclist’s name, citing the need to notify family members first. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office as the case moves toward arraignment, per Local 10.
