High-Speed Pursuit Ends In Crash, Suspect's Arrest In Hialeah
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A man is in police custody Monday afternoon after leading police through a high-speed pursuit through the streets of Miami-Dade County.
The driver, who was in a black pickup truck, eventually crashed the vehicle into a railroad crossing in front of a warehouse in Hialeah, in the area of Northwest 67th Street and Northwest 37th Avenue, and was subsequently arrested.
A Miami-Dade police helicopter had been following the truck throughout the ordeal.
WATCH THE CHASE BELOW:
Images from Chopper 4 showed the crash and several police units at the scene.
Police have identified the suspect as 33-year-old Albert Luis Fernandez.
He's being charged with armed carjacking, aggravated assault on an officer and possession of a firearm.
Additionally, Fernandez is facing two stolen vehicle charges.
He's also currently wanted in Miami Lakes for burglaries.
According to Opa-locka Police Chief James Dobson, Fernandez arrived at a body shop in Opa-locka in a stolen car. He asked the driver of a pickup truck for a bottle of water. The driver went to go get it, and when he turned around his truck was being driven away by Fernandez.
The owner of the truck pursued Fernandez with a friend who was at the shop, per Dobson.
Opa-locka gave chase as well, but backed off when one of the cruisers was hit by the truck.
Miami-Dade police launched their helicopter and began pursuing.
The chase lasted about 15 minutes before the crash in front of the Hialeah warehouse.
"I got nervous because one of my employees was right here leaving, and we heard a big crash and we thinking someone crashed into our warehouse," said witness Francisco Moreno.
Fernandez is wanted by Florida Highway Patrol and Miami-Dade Police.He is known to have a gang affiliation.
Authorities are transporting Fernandez to Jackson Memorial Hospital because he hit his head in the crash.
"Very dangerous individual," said Dobson. "Just based on some of the verbiage he's saying we believe he is an active gang member."
As he was loaded into an ambulance, Fernandez made comments as if he was not the driver.
He also yelled profanities at the media.
