SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Authorities said the bodyguard of pop star Justin Bieber slammed into a Miami-Dade Police cruiser in Southwest Miami-Dade, sending two officers to the hospital, Thursday morning.
According to officials, a driver in an SUV slammed into the back of a police cruiser along the westbound lanes of Kendall Drive near 152nd Avenue, at around 2:30 a.m.
“A car struck them from behind at a very high rate of speed,” said Miami-Dade Police Detective Lee Cowart, describing the crash.
Officials said the driver kept going, but was eventually stopped by police along Southwest 88th Street and 157th Avenue.
“It was a violent crash,” said Cowart. “Both vehicles were heavily damaged.”
One of the officers was airlifted to Kendall Regional Medical Center in serious condition with injuries to his back. The other officer suffered a cut to his head.
“That car did not stop, didn’t check on the officer’s well-being,” said Cowart.
According to Miami-Dade Police, both officers involved are now back home recovering with family.
Thankfully, both of our officers involved in the crash earlier this morning have been discharged from the hospital and continue to recover at home. The driver of the vehicle that struck them has been arrested for DUI. pic.twitter.com/IjSetcjr2s
— Miami-Dade Police (@MiamiDadePD) November 30, 2017
The driver of the white Chevrolet Tahoe was identified as 32-year-old Michael Arana, who is Bieber’s bodyguard, officials said. He was not injured.
Arana was arrested on scene and has been charged with driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.
According to an arrest report, an officer asked Arana if he was drinking and the defendant said, “Yes, sir.”
“Mr. Arana refused the field sobriety exercises,” Cowart said. “He was also given an opportunity to provide blood; he refused that as well.”
“Regardless of whether it’s a police officer, you know, they’re somebody’s mother, dad, children,” said Cowart. “It’s one of the worst things that one could do.”
The westbound lanes of Kendall Drive were shut down as police cleared the debris from the roadway. However, those lanes have since been reopened.
Arana bonded out of jail on Thursday morning. He declined to comment.
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