MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A homeless man was arrested Wednesday after he crashed a private event on Miami Beach and attacked several people, including responding police officers, authorities said.
According to an arrest report, Raul Martinez, 31, entered a roped off area off Ocean Drive and Ninth Street where the private event was being held and placed his backpack and shoes on a table that was being used for food and drink items.
Miami Beach police said two men who were in charge of the private event approached Martinez and repeatedly asked him to leave, but Martinez refused.
Police said Martinez struck one of the men in the mouth and nose, and the victim struck Martinez back in self-defense.
According to the arrest report, Martinez placed his belongings on the sand and tried to strike the victim again, causing other event staff to hold him down until police arrived.
"(I) didn't expect to be on the beach in a scuffle but life happens," the victim told Local 10 News reporter Alex Finnie.
Police said Martinez resisted officers as they tried to place him in handcuffs and headbutted an officer.
Authorities said he also spat twice at the officer and told him in Spanish that he was "going to kill his f***** a** the moment he gets out of jail," the arrest report stated.
Police said Martinez also challenged other officers to a fight and told them he would remember them and would kill them too "just like this f***** pig here."
Authorities said Martinez was placed in the back of a patrol car, where he struck the window.
When an officer opened the door and told Martinez to stop hitting the window, Martinez screamed profanities and spat at the officer, authorities said.
Martinez was then removed from the vehicle and a spit mask was placed over his head.
Police said he had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and his breath smelled of an alcoholic beverage.
He faces charges of assault, battery, battery on a police officer, resisting an officer with violence and assaulting a police officer.
Miami Beach police spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said all officers who were involved in the incident are OK and other victims at the private event are expected to be OK.