A man accused of violently carjacking a victim in the valet lot of Miccosukee Casino & Resort nearly a month ago is now behind bars after his own attorney arranged his surrender. Julio Salermo, 33, was charged with robbery/carjacking following his arrest, and a judge denied him bond when he appeared in court on Wednesday.
According to an arrest report detailed by nbcmiami.com, the incident began on Sept. 20 when Salermo approached a victim who was sitting in a Mercedes-Benz in the casino's valet parking lot, according to authorities. The report said Salermo reached through the driver's-side window and began hitting the victim inside the car.
The victim tried to defuse the confrontation by opening the car door, but the report says Salermo instead pulled him out and punched him in the face. Salermo then got into the Mercedes-Benz and drove off, per the same account, kicking the vehicle's passenger-side bumper amid the struggle before speeding away.
A Chaotic Escape and a Crash Miles Away
Salermo did not get far without incident. The arrest report indicates he hit a median near the entrance of the valet parking lot and drove over it as he fled the casino grounds, which sit outside Miami.
He eventually crashed the stolen Mercedes-Benz near South Dixie Highway and Southwest 246th Street, according to the report, before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot. Miccosukee Police canvassed the area and reviewed surveillance video in the days that followed but were unable to locate him, the report notes.
Suspect Surrenders Through His Attorney
Salermo remained at large for weeks until his attorney contacted officers and said he would turn himself in, the arrest report states. He was taken into custody on Oct. 13 and formally charged with robbery/carjacking the same day.
Salermo appeared in court Wednesday, where a judge denied his bond, according to the report. Florida law defines carjacking as taking a motor vehicle from a person's custody with the intent to deprive them of it, when the act involves force, violence, assault, or putting the victim in fear, according to the Florida Senate.
The case is the latest reminder that South Florida's casino parking areas, often bustling with valet traffic and high-end vehicles, can become flashpoints for violent confrontations. A similar case earlier this year saw a Palmetto Hospital carjacking suspect taken into custody after a pursuit ended in a crash, underscoring how often these incidents end with suspects fleeing before capture.
