WEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police officers’ body cameras captured a woman bumping into two officers with her car as she ignored their orders to stop, last week, according to South Miami Police.
Police responded to ResultsMD Plastic Surgery, last Tuesday, when employees became suspicious about Paula Johnson’s plan to pay for her surgery. The officers entered the clinic wearing body cameras and could be seen talking to the employees.
That’s when Johnson, 28, made a run for it, police said. Wearing only a paper gown, she ran out the back door and downstairs, according to police, and hopped over a railing to the ground level, where her Mercedes car was parked.
“Let me see your hands!” an officer is heard saying, as they arrived in the parking garage, but she reversed her car and began driving regardless.
“She slowed down for a second and then hit the accelerator again in an attempt to get away,” South Miami Police Captain Larry Corbin said, “and as she went by them, both of them were struck.”
Police said Johnson tried to pay for the surgery under someone else’s identity.
Dr. Jose Soler-Baillo said his employees recognized Johnson from a fraud case that cost the clinic $12,000, two years ago.
“One of my employees actually recognized her, and sure enough, we looked up her records, and she was the person involved with a fraud that was committed,” Soler-Baillo said.
“Stop the car! Stop the car!” officers said, guns drawn, as she drove by them.
Both officers are OK, and Corbin said Johnson is lucky to be able to say the same.
“If she would’ve been fired upon, it would’ve been justified,” he said.
The officers didn’t fire any shots.
“This was a desperate woman at that point,” Soler-Baillo said. “When a lot of people want it, people are willing to go to the extremes for it.”
On Monday afternoon, Johnson surrendered to police. She’s charged with two counts of aggravated battery on a police officer, among other charges.
Johnson has a long criminal history, according to police. She is being held on $21,000 bond.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.