MIAMI (WSVN) - A man was arrested and another remains on the run after, police said, they robbed a bicyclist near an ATM in Miami, then took off in a stolen taxi cab, early Thursday morning.
It was a scary ordeal that came to a crashing end in North Miami, when, investigators said, the duo plowed into a utility pole in North Miami.
The victim, who asked not to be identified or show his face on camera, said he had no idea a trip to a Bank of America ATM to get money for his daughter’s birthday would end with him fearing for his life.
According to Miami Police, the bicyclist pulled up at the ATM in the area of Northwest 36th Street and 13th Avenue, at around 1:50 a.m. After withdrawing cash, he hopped on his bike, but he would not get far.
“A yellow cab pulls up in front of me,” said the victim.
The bicyclist said two young men got out of the vehicle, and one of them pointed a gun at him.
At one point, he said, one of the subjects egged on his accomplice to pull the trigger. “The other guy was like, ‘Shoot him in the face, shoot him in the face,'” he said.
The victim said he remained calm as the robbers took off with his cash, keys and iPhone.
The victim then ran to the nearest gas station to call for help. “”Yeah, he was scared. He was shaken,” said one witness.
When police responded to the gas station, the victim realized his assailants could be tracked. “I pulled out the iPhone, to find my iPhone app, and guess what: They popped right up,” he said.
Miami-Dade Police caught up with the pair near Northwest 135th Street and Sixth Court, where they had crashed. Officers found one gun in the front seat.
Police took 19-year-old Kelly Vixamar into custody. The second gunman remains at large.
Meanwhile, the bicyclist said he is thankful to be alive. “If I would have reacted any differently, I believe I would have been killed, and anybody that’s standing around could have been shot as well,” he said.
If you have any information on the missing robber’s whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
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