CUTLER BAY, Fla. – Miami-Dade police are investigating after one of their officers crashed a patrol car into the front of a home in Cutler Bay Wednesday night.
The crash occurred around 9 p.m. in the 9600 block of Cutler Ridge Drive.
A Local 10 News crew was at the scene Thursday morning. Based on the damage, it appears that the car struck the home’s car port and lanai, but never actually made it through the home.
According to Detective Angel Rodriguez, who is also a spokesman for the police department, the officer was on-duty at the time and was responding to an emergency call when the crash occurred.
The sound of the impact was captured on a neighbor’s Ring camera.
“I just heard sirens for like a split second come on, and then I heard a skid, and it was just like a big explosion,” Christina Romero said.
Romero lives down the street and is a registered nurse.
She says she rushed over to help right after hearing the loud impact.
“We just came to make sure nobody was hurt, because we thought somebody could possibly be hurt if the car had gone into the house or somebody was standing there,” Romero said.
Rodriguez said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported the officer to Jackson South Medical Center in stable condition.
Neighbors say the officer appeared to suffer a cut to his head.
“He had his hand on his head, and he was hurt, and he was still talking, so you know, he looked like he was still conscious,” Romero said.
The family inside the home was not injured.
While the crash did leave behind a large mess, neighbors say they’re just grateful the damage wasn’t any worse.
“I honestly think that it could’ve been a lot worse,” Romero said. “I think that what helped him honestly not going into the house is the simple fact that there was a gate there, and there’s a little curb that’s elevated.”
Rodriguez said the MDPD Traffic Homicide Unit will investigate the crash, as is standard protocol with any crash involving one of its officers.
According to a neighbor, another police vehicle crashed into a home across the street about a year ago.