Golden Beach police officer shot, two suspects in custody following pursuit of suspected stolen vehicle
HOLLYWOOD -- A police sergeant with the Golden Beach Police Department was injured after being shot early Saturday during a pursuit of suspects in a stolen vehicle, officials said.
"It was during that foot pursuit that a Golden Beach police sergeant was shot," said Deanna Bettineschi, a spokeswoman for the Hollywood Police Department.
Two suspects were arrested following the incident, which began around 3:15 a.m. in Golden Beach but ended up in the city of Hollywood, police said during a Saturday morning news conference.
The officer, Sergeant Joseph Bautista, was taken to Memorial Regional Hospital for treatment after being shot twice in the arm, according to Bettineschi.
Golden Beach Sergeant Joseph Bautista is in stable condition. His surgery went very well, and he is also doing well, according to Lissette Perez, the Human Resources director of the Town of Golden Beach.
Perez also stated that Sergeant Bautista is to be released from the hospital soon, and that the road to recovery will be long and tedious.
The two suspects are identified by police as 28-year-old Marvens Déclassé and 23-year-old Jordan Christophe.
Both suspects are facing a slew of charges, and Christophe is charged with attempted murder.
The incident ended in the area of State Highway A1A and Hallandale Beach Boulevard, prompting police to close the road while they investigated.
Police said Golden Beach officers, along with Sunny Isles police officers, were trying to apprehend the two suspects who allegedly were driving a stolen car north on Ocean Drive.
Investigators said the driver and the passenger abandoned the vehicle after losing control of it while turning onto Hallandale Beach Boulevard.
"We're very grateful that the injuries weren't more severe for that Golden Beach police officer," said Bettineschi.
