DORAL, Fla. – A 37-year-old man who was arrested on Monday after a police chase that involved Florida Highway Patrol troopers and police officers with the Doral and Miami-Dade police departments appeared in court on Tuesday.
Justin Donald was at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center Tuesday afternoon accused of trying to get away from police officers in a silver Hyundai with a stolen Florida tag.
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A license plate reader detected the stolen tag shortly after 10 a.m., on Monday, near the intersection of Northwest 107 Avenue and 12 Street, police said.
Police officers tracked the tag to the Miami International Mall, at 1455 NW 107 Ave., in Doral, where they attempted to conduct a traffic stop, police said.
Donald didn’t comply and he nearly ran over a uniformed police officer, struck a marked police car, and fled the mall speeding, according to the arrest report.
While trying to get away from police officers, Donald ran a red light at Northwest 97 Avenue and 25 Street, and turned southbound at 87 Avenue, police said.
A police helicopter followed as he sped away westbound on State Road 836 and southbound on the Florida Turnpike until he exited at Southwest 152 Street, police said.
Heavy traffic forced Donald to stop the car at 117 Avenue and police officers chased and arrested him before he confessed, according to the arrest report.
Donald is facing charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, fleeing and eluding police, petit theft, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.
Detectives were asking anyone with information about the case to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.