MIAMI – A driver fled from an attempted traffic stop and crashed into a church building in Miami’s Liberty City neighborhood Tuesday morning, police said.
According to Miami police, officers attempted to stop a white BMW SUV at around 11:20 a.m., near Northwest 7th Avenue and Northwest 28th Street. However, the driver fled and crashed into a car at the intersection of Northwest 46th Street and Northwest 7th Avenue. He then careened into a vacant building just north of the intersection.
The driver, along with a passenger, then got out of the vehicle and ran from police, authorities said.
Savita Singh was driving the car the suspects crashed into. She said everything “happened so fast.”
“It was terrifying, nervous, then I called the cops,” Singh said. “Everybody is OK. Thank God everybody is OK. That’s the main thing. We always could fix the car.”
Surveillance video obtained by Local 10 News shows the impact of the crash caused the suspect to veer into a fence and take it down before slamming into the empty home. It shows three men exiting the BMW, two of them take off while one goes back to grab something from the SUV. The video shows the man trying to leave the gated property, but the damaged fence was in his way.
The man eventually ran through the damaged fence.
According to public records, the building, located at 677 NW 47th St., is owned by Mount Sinai Missionary Baptist Church. The church’s main building is next to the property.
Police said no one was hurt and officers took three men into custody, one of whom was believed to have been carrying a handgun. Officers haven’t identified the suspects as of Tuesday afternoon.
Police said they recovered four guns.