A Miami‑Dade judge on Wednesday refused to keep a Florida Department of Law Enforcement report on a Pinecrest officer-involved shooting under wraps, clearing the way for the document to go public. The courtroom clash grew out of a July 2025 confrontation where a Pinecrest officer opened fire on an off-road vehicle during a crowded intersection takeover, triggering a pursuit that stretched for miles.
Judge Shuts Down Push To Keep Report Secret
Judge Tanya Brinkley turned down the Miami‑Dade State Attorney’s request to block release of the FDLE report after several newsrooms moved to intervene. As Telemundo 51 reported, Brinkley ruled that the mere existence of an active investigation was not, by itself, enough legal justification to keep the file sealed.
Intersection Takeover Erupts Into 18-Mile Chase
According to police records, officers responded to reports of an intersection takeover at South Dixie Highway and Southwest 104th Street, where several dirt bikes and off-road vehicles were clogging traffic. At the Mobil gas station at 10345 South Dixie Highway, Officer Andres Garcia approached one of the vehicles. Prosecutors say the driver, Adolfo Denis, allegedly hit Garcia with the vehicle and took off, triggering an 18-mile pursuit that ended after a PIT maneuver, as detailed by Local 10.
FDLE File Details Volleys Of Gunfire
The now-public FDLE report shows Officer Garcia fired his service weapon at the off-road vehicle, letting off about nine rounds, and that the vehicle was left with multiple bullet holes. Dispatch audio captured Garcia radioing in, “shots fired, shots fired.” Those details were obtained and summarized by NBC 6, which also posted the report.
Prosecutors Say Their Probe Is Still Live
Miami‑Dade prosecutors told the court that Garcia is the subject of a “non-contact police-involved shooting” investigation and argued against immediate public release of the FDLE findings while their own review is underway. “Once FDLE transmitted the report to our office, our office then conducts an investigation into the non-contact shooting and then will make a determination into what they want to do with the officer,” State Attorney Andres Perez said in court, according to NBC 6.
Where Florida’s Sunshine Law Comes In
Florida’s public records law includes an exemption for “active” criminal investigative information, though legal experts note that the shield narrows once a case is no longer active. As the Reporters Committee explains in its Florida guide, courts are expected to weigh law-enforcement needs against the public’s right to inspect government records when deciding whether to keep files sealed.
Criminal Case Marches On
Denis faces charges that include battery on a law-enforcement officer, leaving the scene of a crash, and fleeing and eluding, and the criminal case is still pending. With the FDLE report now out, defense attorneys, prosecutors and the public have fresh material to pore over before the State Attorney decides whether to take any action against Officer Garcia, according to reporting by Local 10.
