Miramar police chase ends in violent rollover crash at Miami Gardens Tesla dealership
An investigation is underway in Miami Gardens after an apparent police chase ended in a violent crash at a Tesla dealership, and exclusive video appears to show a police vehicle leaving the scene after the incident occurred.
Around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, video provided to CBS News Miami from a Tesla shows what appears to be a Miramar police vehicle chasing a Lexus SUV on U.S. 441 past County Line Road into Miami Gardens.
Seconds later, the vehicle veers off the roadway and flips over into the Tesla dealership in Miami Gardens.
The video from the Tesla shows witnesses getting out of their vehicles to help those trapped in the flipped SUV. A woman in scrubs can be heard yelling at a man stuck in the car to keep breathing.
The video also shows the Miramar police vehicle make several U-turns, then pull over onto the side of the road north of where the crash happened.
Witnesses said three men were inside the crashed SUV, and police were able to pull the victims from the wreck.
"This is a case of a person driving too fast and losing control," Miramar Police Chief Delrish Moss said late Tuesday afternoon.
Moss said one of his officers spotted the driver of a Lexus SUV racing another car and began pursuing the driver southbound on U.S. 441. However, Moss said the chase was called off soon after the officer passed County Line Road into Miami Gardens.
Tesla video shows the officer turning around before the crash scene. The officer reached the intersection, then turned south again before pulling over and parking before the accident scene.
The Tesla driver is CBS Miami executive producer and journalist Tania Francois, who was on her way home after landing at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Her Tesla cameras captured the chase and some of the aftermath.
"I said the Lexus isn't stopping and this is a chase," Francois said.
The Tesla camera captured people rushing to help the occupants of the flipped Lexus. Francois stopped and captured the scene and the people helping on her cellphone. One of the occupants of the overturned car told her three men were in the vehicle. The Miramar officer is seen getting to the car and rendering aid.
Moss said the officer followed all protocols.
Miami Gardens police said they were looking into the incident, and the police chief also confirmed that they and Miramar police are looking into whether a Miramar officer involved in the chase left the scene of the crash.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue confirmed two patients were transported to the hospital. One of the patients was a trauma alert, which means more severe injuries.
Authorities have not released the conditions of the two occupants, nor their identities. It is also unknown if they will face any charges.