A traffic stop in South Miami-Dade turned chaotic Wednesday evening when a driver tried to bolt from deputies, hit several of them with a vehicle, and triggered a chase that wrapped up near the Florida Turnpike, authorities said. The injured Miami-Dade Sheriff's deputies were treated at the scene for minor injuries. Two men from the car were arrested, while a woman who was also inside was released.
How the chase unfolded
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office, deputies converged on the area of Southwest 184th Street and 122nd Avenue after 7 p.m. for a traffic stop involving a wanted suspect. As deputies moved in to detain the driver, the person hit multiple deputies with the vehicle and took off, according to the agency.
The attempted stop quickly turned into a pursuit that ran across South Dade and ended near the Florida Turnpike and Southwest 40th Street. Two male suspects were taken into custody and a woman who had been in the vehicle was released. Charges are still pending, as reported by NBC6.
Turnpike incidents and officer safety
This latest scare folds into a growing list of dangerous encounters on or near the Turnpike in recent months. In late December, a driver slammed into a Miami-Dade deputy who was helping at an earlier crash on Florida's Turnpike, seriously injuring the officer. The driver in that case was later arrested, according to CBS Miami.
Law-enforcement leaders have been repeating the same plea: slow down and move over when you see flashing lights or crash scenes. The goal is simple, they say, keep first responders from getting hit while they are trying to keep everyone else safe.
What charges could follow
Sheriff's officials said the deputies involved in Wednesday's stop suffered minor injuries and were treated on scene, and no other injuries were reported. Formal charges for the two men in custody are still pending, but state law gives prosecutors plenty to work with.
Under Florida law, fleeing or attempting to elude a law-enforcement officer is a felony offense, with tougher penalties when someone is hurt in the process under state statute Fla. Stat. §316.1935, as outlined in the Florida Statutes. Battery or assault on a law-enforcement officer can also be reclassified as a felony, increasing potential prison time for anyone accused of striking deputies, according to Chapter 784 of the Florida Statutes.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office confirmed the injuries and arrests stemming from the incident to NBC6.
