Police chief wants cop fired for not giving life-saving aid

MIAMI - The police chief in the Miami-Dade village of Pinecrest wants to fire a female officer accused of not taking life-saving measures for an accident victim, but the officer is fighting back.

Pinecrest Police Chief Samuel Ceballos recommends the termination of officer Ana Carrasco, according to CBS Miami.  The 30-year-old officer will appeal the recommendation, according to John Rivera, the President of Miami-Dade Police Benevolent Association.

“I jumped out of my car, I have a defibrillator, and checked the vitals on both victims,” said Ortiz. “I immediately started CPR on the female. It was just me. I had no one to work on the male and I was waiting for help to arrive.”

CBS Miami reports that when Carrasco arrived on the scene, dash cam video from her patrol car showed her standing with her hands in her pockets watching Ortiz try to help the stricken female student.

Ortiz said he begged her to help.

“I said it again and again and again,” Ortiz said. “There were people, civilians, yelling at her to please do something and she did absolutely nothing.”

In recorded statements, witnesses said Officer Carrasco did not help the victims.

When questioned as part of an internal affairs investigation, Carrasco reportedly said she gave Ortiz a pair of gloves when he asked for them, told bystanders to back away from the scene and tried to locate the vehicle that hit the victims which was stopped a short distance away.

According to CBS Miami, a recording of Carrasco’s statement says, “I actually made a visual assessment on the male facing down. I didn’t see him breathing I didn’t see his lungs or chest expanding or any signs of life.”

Later she said, “Based on my training, education, experience I was concerned flipping the male victim over. I was concerned it could cause cervical or spinal injury and maybe kill him. I don’t know if he’s dead or not. I run back to my car to see if I have more gloves to see if I can search for any vital signs at that time rescue arrived.”

She said she never checked vital signs because she didn’t have another pair of gloves.

A thirty-two page investigative report by Pinecrest Police, obtained by CBS Miami, found Officer Carrasco failed to render aid at an accident involving serious injury.

The chief’s recommendation to fire Carrasco was commended by prominent Coral Gables attorney Ervin Gonzalez, who is representing the victims’ families in a lawsuit against the driver who hit them.

“I think it’s unfortunate the police officer did not do her duty,” said Gonzalez. “They are trained to save lives and they take the oath to save lives. It’s a shame. She saw two people gurgling and literally taking their last breath and she didn’t take action to save their lives. I think the police department did the right thing in recommending the termination of an officer who does not have her heart and soul in her job.”

A representative of the police union supporting Carrasco in the case said, "There were many things about the investigation that were not brought to light, that were not discovered and our officer deserves due process.”

He added, "Our information is nothing could have been done for the victims. We do not believe our member did anything wrong.”

Carrasco has been placed on administrative leave with pay while awaiting the decision of the Village Manager, CBS Miami reports. She has been with Pinecrest Police since October of 2012.