The City of Miami Police Department has arrested a man for the crime of fleeing and eluding. Police have run the suspect's criminal record and have found between 22-41 criminal arrests since the early 1980s. These arrests include offenses such as burglary, grand theft, and DUI.
The police apprehended the suspect after a chase through a Miami neighborhood. The chase resulted in a crash.
The police followed the suspect's car and initiated a traffic stop because the car came up as stolen.
After a chase, the suspect crashed the car and was detained.
Police believe that he may be responsible for several violent gas station robberies that are still under investigation.
A spokesperson for the Miami Police Department said that they would take the robbery cases to the U.S. Attorney's Office, hoping that federal sentencing guidelines would result in longer prison time.
At the state level, the suspect is facing one count of fleeing and eluding, one count of grand theft of a vehicle, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, one count of driving while license suspended (DWLS) and one count of reckless driving.
Due to his prior criminal history, the accused may face career criminal enhancements, such as a habitual offender (HO) designation which would result in a longer maximum prison sentence.
Fleeing and eluding is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison. Fleeing and eluding carries a mandatory conviction (adjudication) and a mandatory one-year driver’s license suspension.
Grand theft auto, or grand theft of a vehicle, is also a third-degree felony. The remaining charges he faces at the state level are misdemeanors.
Defendants with prior convictions run the risk of facing substantial prison time for otherwise non-violent third-degree felonies that would normally result in probation for first-time offenders.
Eric Matheny is a Miami fleeing and eluding lawyer and Broward fleeing and eluding lawyer. Eric Matheny can be contacted to discuss your fleeing and eluding case.