MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A man accused of stealing a car before leading police on a brief but violent and fatal chase through Miami Beach appeared before a judge.
Timothy Bowers, 35, who is facing a list of charges, made his court appearance, Wednesday morning.
His first of two court appearances was to discuss his two out-of-state warrants.
The other appearance will be for his charges of grand theft, resisting arrest, possession of cocaine and giving a false ID to police.
Officials said they are working with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office to determine if additional charges should be filed.
Miami Beach Police said Bowers hopped into a BMW as the owner was inside of a store near 74th Street and Collins Avenue, Monday night.
Officers later spotted Bowers at a different location and started to pursue him in the area of 76th Street and Dickens Avenue.
During the chase, a police SUV driven by Miami Beach Police Officer Greg McVey struck a gray Honda Accord.
Rescue crews responded and were forced to cut the roof off the Honda to remove the driver, later identified as 68-year-old Ivonne Reyes.
Reyes was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center where she succumbed to her injuries.
Police said Reyes, a longtime Miami Beach resident and 30-plus-year veteran at the Fontainebleau hotel, was an innocent bystander.
McVey was also injured in the crash. He was released from the hospital Wednesday night.
Juan Velasquez, whose vehicle Bowers had stolen, was among the first on the scene of the fatal crash.
“When I come out, my car is gone,” said Velasquez. “I jumped into the car with the police officer, and we went to the car accident. I saw a woman with a car so damaged, and the police officer with blood on his head.”
The injured officer remains at the hospital in unknown condition.
7News was at the scene as officers arrested Bowers.
“An innocent woman trying to come home from work died,” a reporter shouted at him. “Was that you behind the wheel of that BMW or not, sir?”
Bowers didn’t respond.
“Someone’s dead right now,” the reporter continued. “An innocent lady is dead.”
“What you telling me for?” Bowers responded.
Police said Bowers was with 35-year-old Richard Wallace when he was arrested. Wallace was also apprehended, as he was found with a stash of drugs in his possession, according to officials.
Wallace was charged with possession of cocaine, alprazolam and marijuana.
Back at the scene on Wednesday, friends and loved ones of Reyes left a memorial complete with candles and flowers.
Bowers is due back in court sometime in the afternoon.
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