A veteran Miami-Dade Police officer is facing three serious felony charges after allegedly firing a gun during a road rage incident that occurred on the Turnpike near Cutler Bay, Florida.
The police officer was reportedly driving when another car, driven by a Miami-Dade Corrections officer, cut him off. The Miami-Dade officer is then accused of pointing a gun at the corrections officer and firing a shot, which struck the corrections officer’s car.
In addition to aggravated assault with a firearm and discharging a firearm from a vehicle, the officer also faces tampering with physical evidence charges as it is alleged that the officer broke into the tow yard where his car had been stored so that he could take the gun from his car. No gun was ever recovered but video surveillance, physical evidence, as well as cellphone signals, place the officer at the location of the tow yard.
The officer turned himself into the Dade County Jail and was released on bond.
He will likely be suspended until this case is resolved or until action is taken by the police department to terminate his employment.
Aggravated assault with a firearm carries a maximum term of five years in Florida state prison with a three-year mandatory minimum. However, since a firearm was discharged during the assault, a twenty-year mandatory minimum term applies under Florida’s 10-20-Life.
Eric Matheny is a Miami criminal lawyer and Broward criminal lawyer.