MIAMI (WSVN) - Police have an update on a man involved in a fiery crash in Miami.
According to an arrest report from Dec. 11, Miami Police officers responded to an area near Southwest 22nd Avenue and 17th Street, around midnight, following a high-speed crash.
Police did not know how the collision occurred, but after further investigation, they found that the driver of a Dodge Ram tow truck was going at a high speed before he crashed into a 2010 Honda Civic.
The collision flipped the Honda on its driver’s side.
An off-duty police officer witnessed the incident and called for the authorities and medical assistance.
The off-duty police officer, along with other people nearby, helped push the vehicle back onto its wheels.
Once on its wheels, the car was engulfed by flames.
Civilians and the off-duty officer on the scene attempted to extinguish the blaze until fire rescue arrived.
The City of Miami Fire Rescue tried to get the driver out of the Honda, but he was pronounced dead on the scene.
Jose Garcia, the driver of the tow truck, was arrested after performing roadside exercises to determine if he was intoxicated; he was later taken to the police department to have a sample of his breath taken. When he refused, a warrant for a blood drawing was issued.
Further investigation also determined that Garcia was driving with white and amber lights on top of his vehicle and an audible siren that mimics that of a police siren.
Witness statements indicated he was switching lanes in order to move past slower vehicles on the road prior to the crash.
Police received a search warrant for Garcia’s vehicle on Dec. 14 that indicated he was driving approximately 81 MPH before the crash and his vehicle did not show any signs of malfunction beforehand.
The arrest report stated he “demonstrated a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others and property in the area.”
On Tuesday, Garcia went to the Miami Police Department to turn himself in; he was then arrested and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
He bonded out on Wednesday after his bond was set to $7,500.
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