NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Authorities have identified a kidnapping suspect who was taken into custody after a trooper pursuit in Northwest Miami-Dade ended in a rollover wreck.
Surveillance video captured Wednesday’s chaotic collision on Northwest 18th Avenue and 86th Terrace as Florida Highway Patrol troopers stopped Ronald Kelly.
Area resident James Johnson’s adrenaline was through the roof after he witnessed the trooper pursuit come to an end.
“I heard that [expletive] boom! And then he flipped,” said Johnson. “It was a real-life chase, real-life chase, man, I’m like, ‘Whoa, man.’ I saw a car flying back and forth, helicopter, he ran and [inaudible] the big red truck.”
Kelly, 29, was taken into custody and transported to an area hospital. Investigators said he was out on felony bond in connection with a prior arrest for aggravated assault against the mother of his child in April.
Troopers said the abduction began near Northwest 27th Avenue and 199th Street near Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, and when they tried to make a traffic stop, the driver took off.
They said the victim, who was being held against his will inside the suspect’s vehicle, contacted 911 and provided real-time location updates.
“Complainant is in the back of a truck that tried to 29 him,” said the 911 call.
A short pursuit ensued and came to an end when troopers executed a precision immobilization technique maneuver, causing the truck to flip onto its side.
The victim, who was in the bed of the truck, was thrown out and rolled onto the street.
When the truck flipped, it collided with a red Nissan Altima that was parked on the road.
The owner of that car, Cynthia Hulett, was inside her home when she heard the noise.
“It was just a lot of lights outside, we heard a loud crash,” said Hullet.
Hulett walked outside to find her car all banged up. Now she’s waiting to find out what’s next.
“The front door, the back door is pretty bad, the window’s broken, back bumper is messed up,” she said. “A lot of damage, and I still haven’t got any update on whether they’re going to fix it or anything like that, but we’re hoping that they do.”
Kelly was loaded onto a stretcher in handcuffs and taken to the hospital. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and aggravated fleeing and eluding, resulting in injury or death.
“I don’t know what he did, though, but man, that was crazy, man. My heart’s beating fast as hell right now. I ain’t never seen him like this, man.I hope you’re alright though, man, to the family and him, I hope you’re okay, man,” said a nearby civilian.
According to FHP, the victim is going to be OK.
It remains unclear whether the victim and the suspect knew each other.
Kelly, supported by crutches, stood before a judge on Thursday.
“For some reason, this alleged victim thought that they would have permission to get into the back of the truck,” said the public defender.
“Well, that kind of, that might be, I don’t know if it’s true or not, but it says here the victim was being held against his will inside the suspect vehicle,” said Judge David H. Young.
Many questions remain unanswered at this time, like how those two men may have known each other, if at all, and how that initial kidnapping really began.
Kelly is expected to be back in court on Friday.
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