MIAMI (WSVN) - A police chase involving a convicted felon behind the wheel of a stolen pickup truck came to a crashing end in Northwest Miami-Dade.
Opa-locka and Miami-Dade Police units were seen chasing a 2015 Dodge Ram pickup truck along the Palmetto Expressway and Interstate 95, just before 4 p.m., Monday.
The driver eventually made a U-turn after getting off of I-95 and drove the wrong way down the on-ramp before heading westbound on Northwest 95th Street.
Police identified the driver as 33-year-old Albert Fernandez.
Officials said the pickup truck was spotted in Opa-locka where the driver allegedly tried to ram an Opa-locka police cruiser.
7Skyforce HD was following the vehicle as it made erratic moves on surface roads and highways.
The pickup truck reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour during some parts of the chase.
Fernandez was seen flying through an intersection and narrowly missing a car.
The chase ended after the suspect crashed into a railroad crossing sign, and he bailed out.
The suspect was seen fleeing into a warehouse area filled with pallets, near Northwest 35th Avenue and 74th Street.
“We’re thinking somebody crashed into our warehouse, so we run out,” said Francisco Moreno, who works at a warehouse near the scene.
Officers took him into custody a few minutes later.
“It’s dangerous, any chase that involved the safety of the officers or anyone,” said Opa-locka Police Chief James Dobson.
According to officials, Fernandez drove a stolen vehicle to Noel’s Muffler Shop in Opa-locka.
While he was there, he asked someone for a bottle of water who complied before going inside the shop.
As the victim was inside, Fernandez hopped in the pickup truck and drove off, police said.
“He didn’t take the car there to be serviced,” Dobson said. “Basically, he took the car there, he was waiting to try to find his next victim.”
Police said Fernandez was taken to the hospital after claiming he struck his head in the crash.
“[Expletive] you, Channel 7!” he shouted as rescue crews put him in an ambulance. “[Expletive] you! [Expletive] you all!”
Officers found a loaded gun while searching the pickup truck.
“No officers were injured. No one else was injured in this short chase,” Dobson said.
7News cameras captured the owner of the truck at the scene identifying his vehicle to authorities.
Fernandez faces a slew of charges including armed carjacking, battery on a police officer, fleeing and eluding and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
He was also wanted by Florida Highway Patrol and police in Miami Lakes in connection to several burglaries.
Surveillance video provided by a 7News viewer appeared to show Fernandez breaking into cars over the weekend.
Opa-locka Police continue to investigate.
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