Crime & Safety
WATCH NOW: 'Calm' Spring Break Turns Demolition Derby
The driver of a white BMW knocked over a $2,000 city street light.
MIAMI BEACH, FL — Having made it through the first couple of weeks of an otherwise "calm" spring break, police are stepping up patrols in South Beach after a wild weekend hit-and-run incident that one resident dubbed "South Beach demolition derby."
The resident posted video of the incident on Facebook under the name, "South Beach Sludge Report" but acknowledged that he enhanced the audio with sound effects.
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Witnesses told police that the 6:30 a.m. incident appears to have been fueled by an argument between the driver of a rented BMW 650i and the driver of a Mercedes SUV.
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Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department told Patch on Tuesday that police are still looking for both drivers, while Police Chief Daniel J. Oates said that his department will beef up the police presence in the area following the accident.
According to a police accident report, the driver of the rented BMW backed into the Mercedes, knocked over a $2,000 city street light and gave chase to the driver of the Mercedes while pulling some wild street maneuvers.
“We have seized the rental car in question and hope to identify the driver soon," assured Oates on Tuesday. "Despite this unfortunate event, we have generally experienced a calm spring break so far."
The raucous incident took place at 9 Street not far from Collins Avenue before both cars sped away. The driver of the BMW later abandoned the vehicle in the 800 block of Ocean Court, police said.
"We have had thousands of visitors from around the world enjoying Miami Beach and Ocean Drive," the chief added. "We will be adding more security in the vicinity of 9 Street and Ocean Drive for the remainder of Spring Break. As always, we appreciate and rely on our residents and businesses to be our eyes and ears, as our officers cannot be everywhere at all times.”
Video and image courtesy of South Beach Sludge Report
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