Dec 7, 2007 12:49 pm US/Eastern
More Questions Raised After Wild Police Chase Ends
Director Of M.D Police Talks About Police Chase
A Warrant Was Out For 36-year-old Angel Soto's Arrest
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
-
-
Angel Soto was charged with leading police on a high speed chase near Miami International Airport.
MIAMI DADE POLICE/CBS
-
-
Driver of this cream-colored station wagon leads Miami-Dade police on a chase
CBS
-
-
At one point, it appeared the suspect was cornered but he simply swerved around the patrol cars and drove over a median to avoid capture
CBS
-
-
After running out of road, the suspect bailed out and was quickly captured
CBS
The director of Miami-Dade police has a message Friday afternoon, just two days after some said 2 of his officers used too much force on a man they were chasing.
Director Robert Parker admitted he has some concerns over the take down of Angel Soto.
"I will back the conduct of an officer who makes an unintended mistake, but I will not the conduct of an officer who takes an action either out of malice or not consistent with policy that he knows to be inconsistent with policy," Parker told CBS4's Tiffani Helberg. "Whether he do it out of sheer intent, or as a result of losing his emotions."
He added, "If they take a chance like that and I find out about it, I will deal with it immediately as I have in this case."
Police said it all started on a wild high speed chase through the streets of Miami Dade came to a crashing end in a parking lot near Miami International Airport, but the suspect was not who police thought.
According to police, there was a report of an armed robbery suspect who jumped into a gold-colored Volvo station wagon at 3328 NW 29th Street then jumped into and sped off. He had allegedly robbed a lunch truck operator, robbing him of $60.
Officers spotted the vehicle, went after him, pursuing him at high-speeds along 836 and surrounding roadway. Police say 36-year-old Angel Soto weaved his way in and out of traffic, almost hitting pedestrians, a gas tanker and a retaining wall along the way. Police say he also tried to ram two police cars.
At times during this chase, officers were practically bumper to bumper with the suspect, then at other times they backed off.
Finally, the suspect exited the Dolphin Expressway and sped up Perimeter Road, next to Miami International Airport. He turned again at 25th Street where his road ran out in a Customs warehouse area. After the driver skidded over a median between two police over a median and having nowhere else to go, the suspect slammed into a traffic barrier. Soto then took off of foot and tried to outrun police but they caught up to him as he jumped spread eagle into some bushes. He surrendered after at least six officers jumped on top of him. Video of the capture shows several officers punching and kicking Soto as he was pinned to the gound. Two of the officers involved in the take down have been suspended with pay while they are investigated for innappropriate use of force during Soto's arrest.
But when the chase was over, police realized Soto was not the person they were looking for. The suspects wanted in the lunch truck robbery were described as three males and a female who was driving the getaway car.
One eyewitness said "They took $60 from the lunch truck. They pointed a gun at me and told me to turn around."
Soto, who did have an warrant out for his arrest, was charged with cocaine possession, driving with a suspended license, driving with an expired license, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving, fleeing and eluding police and 2 counts of battery on a police officer.
He was booked into the Miami Dade jail and released late Wednesday on $23-thousand bond.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
I-Team: Tracking The Florida Stimulus Money Trail 
Kennedy: I'm Barred From Communion Due To Abortion 1 hr 16 mins ago
Stumble It!
Reporting
