Younes Bekkali, a 38-year-old Miami man, was arrested two days after an alleged confrontation with a Miami-Dade firefighter at a Palmetto Expressway crash scene. Investigators accuse him of striking the on-duty firefighter with a car and shoving him; he faces multiple charges and is being held without bond.
The Alleged Encounter
Deputies responded to a multi-vehicle crash on the Palmetto Expressway near Northwest 74th Avenue at about 5:37 a.m. on Sept. 17, according to WPLG Local 10. An MDFR firefighter in uniform was directing traffic while an engine blocked the roadway to protect crews at the scene. The station reported that a purple Dodge Challenger registered to Bekkali approached the restricted area as the firefighter signaled the driver to take another route.
The arrest report alleges that Bekkali ignored the directions, accelerated and struck the firefighter’s legs, knocking him back several feet. Investigators also accuse him of pushing the firefighter repeatedly in the chest before driving north on the Palmetto Expressway from Northwest 74th Avenue.
Move-Over Crashes in Florida
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reported 205 crashes and more than 17,500 citations in Florida in 2024 for motorists failing to move over. Those statewide figures provide context but do not establish whether the move-over law applies to this case, according to FLHSMV.
Arrest and Charges
The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office said Bekkali was located and arrested Saturday, Sept. 19, two days after the alleged incident. He was taken first to the MDSO Midwest District station. The arrest report accuses him of intentionally striking an on-duty Miami-Dade firefighter with his car and pushing him while trying to bypass the restricted crash scene.
WPLG Local 10 reported that Bekkali was read his Miranda rights and denied involvement in the incident. He was then taken to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. Booking records cited by the station list charges of aggravated battery on a firefighter with a deadly weapon, battery on a firefighter and failure to obey a firefighter. The report does not clarify whether the aggravated and simple battery charges are separate counts or whether one replaced the other.
Held Without Bond
As of Tuesday morning, Sept. 22, Bekkali was being held without bond at the MetroWest Detention Center, according to the same report. No additional details about the firefighter's condition, injuries or identity were included in the available reporting, and no comment from Bekkali's defense has been made public.
