HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Three men were injured after in a crash during a police car chase on Thursday in Homestead. Detectives reported a narcotics transaction and a firearm with a high-capacity magazine.
Two of the men, Steven Rodriguez and Kenneth White, were in a getaway car, according to the Homestead Police Department. Rodriguez was driving when he ignored a stop sign and crashed, according to Sgt. Fernando Morales.
The crash happened at the intersection of West Palm Drive and Southwest Fifth Street, just steps away from the Florida City Police Department headquarters. The driver of the other vehicle, Shannon Moses, was traveling westbound on West Palm Drive.
“Next thing I know, I’m spinning around in circles and then I crashed up against something and I heard an explosion,” Moses said.
Rodriguez, 32, and White, 30, both convicted felons, jumped out of the car and took off running, police said.
“The impact was so violent that both vehicles were thrown onto a concrete pole containing high voltage power lines,” Morales wrote.
Officers rushed to rescue Moses as the power lines arched, according to Morales. There was a power outage in the area.
“Smoke was coming in the car, so I thought the car was on fire. So I started yelling because I couldn’t get out and one of the officers came and pulled the passenger side door open so I could get out,” Moses said.
After catching up to Rodriguez and White, officers seized a “large amount” of narcotics and a firearm, police said. Fire Rescue personnel took White to Baptist Homestead Hospital in an ambulance and flew Rodriguez to Jackson South Trauma.
Morales said White and Rodriguez were in stable condition. Detectives investigating a domestic-related robbery had been searching for White, police said.
Rodriguez and White were facing charges of narcotics possession, weapons possession by a convicted felon, and fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer. Morales said they will likely face more charges. Florida Power & Light was working to restore power.