MIAMI (WSVN) - What began as an attempt to stop a suspected robber in the parking lot of a hotel in Miami turned into a physical assault, sending a police officer to the hospital and triggering a search for his assailant.
7SkyForce HD hovered above the scene in the parking lot of the Best Western Premier Miami Airport on West Flagler Street, near 42nd Avenue, early Friday afternoon.
According to investigators, the incident took place at around 11 a.m.
Two hotel guests who identified themselves as Tye and Bria said they watched the attack go down.
“We just came out, and we saw the officer trying to stop him, and he just wasn’t letting it happen,” said Bria.
Bria said the suspect was attempting to run from officers.
“He started running from them. He was like, ‘I didn’t do nothing,'” she said. “He was running in circles, and then eventually they end meeting up. He tried to get back in his car. They tried stopping him again. They kind of went one on one.”
“They was tussling, then the cop slammed the guy, but the cop came down on the back of his head,” said Tye.
Police said the officer who was hurt was trying to arrest 33-year-old Victor Fernandez, a suspect in a robbery that happened Thursday in the area of Northeast Third Court and 55th Street.
Hotel guest Ian Robertshaw said he and his wife just happened to look at their window when they witnessed the commotion in the parking lot.
“We just saw a policeman lying on the floor with another police lady with him,” he said.
Police said Fernandez was last seen driving a white 2018 four-door Honda Accord with dark tinted windows and a broken driver’s side headlight. The vehicle has the Florida license tag ESJP69.
The injured officer was taken to the hospital for head pain, but thankfully, he is expected to be OK.
Fernandez remains at large.
If you have any information on his whereabouts, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.