December 3, 2011
Miami-Dade police on Saturday shot and killed a man who fled the scene of an accident, then intentionally reversed and crashed his truck into an occupied patrol car.
The man was driving a Toyota Tundra that collided with a Kia Optima at Northwest 37th Avenue and 17th Street around 4 p.m., police said. The Tundra driver drove away from the scene, and was pulled over by an officer after running a stop sign. The driver of the Kia then told the officer the driver of the Tundra hit him, and the driver of the Tundra sped off, police said. A chase ensued. At 36th Street and 27th Avenue, the Tundra reversed into the pursuing police car, totaling it, although the officer who was driving was unhurt.
The chase culminated at Northwest 47th Street and 32nd Avenue. Witnesses said they heard screeching tires and saw a police car bump the Tundra off the road, spinning it around, and a second squad police car hitting it as well. Several other police cars swarmed and blocked the Tundra in.
“I was standing about six feet away, and I heard a big crash,” said Horace Washington, 59, who lives on 47th Street. “At least 10 cops. Five seconds after the crash they all had guns drawn.”
Washington said the cops quickly formed a half ring around the back of the truck, but one officer, the one who originally bumped the Tundra, stepped forward.
“He didn’t tell him to get up, didn’t tell him to put his hands up or nothing.”
Washington said the officer stepped up to the drivers side window of the car and fired five or six shots in quick succession into the vehicle, from two feet away.
“He didn’t say get out or anything he just started shooting,” said Willette Washington, 64, who was on her porch when the shooting happened.
After the incident police blocked off the surrounding area. According to them, there was no indication the suspect had a gun.
“I’m not aware of a gun,” county police spokesman Detective Roy Rutland said. “The only weapon I’m aware of is a 4,000-pound vehicle.”
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