MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A South Florida man was arrested Wednesday morning on numerous charges after he crashed his pickup truck into several vehicles in Miami Beach and then fled the scene, authorities said.
Ernesto Cruz-Marino, 48, of Miami, faces charges of DUI, DUI leading to property damage or damage to a person and leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage.
According to his arrest report, Cruz-Marino struck several parked cars with his vehicle shortly before 5:30 a.m. in the 8000 block of Crespi Boulevard.
Police said someone called 911 and reported that the driver had fled the scene.
“All of a sudden I hear ‘boom’ and then I see him with his truck and the blue Ford Explorer, and then I see him trying to reverse – you know, trying really hard to reverse and then smoke comes out,” Kimmie Cardenas, who lives in the area, told Local 10 News.
Police said they spotted him on the bridge on 85th Street, between Dickens Avenue and Crespi Boulevard, where he had crashed his truck.
According to his arrest report, Cruz-Marino tried to get his vehicle restarted several times before giving up.
Police said it was difficult to understand him, because his speech was slurred. He also had bloodshot eyes and failed a field sobriety test, authorities said.
According to the arrest report, first responders provided medical attention to him and his girlfriend, who was semi-conscious and slumped over the passenger seat, facing down.
Cruz-Marino was ultimately arrested and taken to jail.
His girlfriend was removed from the truck and taken away on a gurney. Her condition has not yet been released.