MIAMI – A man suspected of shooting another man in the face in the Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood last year appeared in court on a host of charges over the weekend, after police said he crashed his car trying to run from them.
Miami police’s Felony Apprehension Team located Alexander Suarez on Bel Air Drive in Cutler Bay on Thursday, but he took off in an SUV, eventually crashing in the 10200 block of Southwest 170th Terrace in southwest Miami-Dade’s West Perrine neighborhood, authorities said.
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The shooting happened on Oct. 2 near the intersection of Southwest 19th Avenue and Eighth Street, according to police.
A police report states that the victim was waiting in his vehicle outside of a bar when Suarez, 50, approached him drunkenly and told him to “stop trying to steal his girlfriend” and to leave the area.
Police said the man then left and drove around so Suarez would leave him alone, but Suarez followed him.
According to the report, the victim pulled over and Suarez yelled at him to “leave him and his girlfriend alone.”
Police said the victim left again, but Suarez followed and got out of a car, walked up to the victim’s driver-side door and began arguing again.
That’s when Suarez pulled out a gun, pointed it at the victim, who tried to swat it away and fired, shooting the man in the face, the report states.
The victim got away and called 911, according to police. He was later taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Months later, in late April, police said the victim was able to identify Suarez from a photo lineup.
After his arrest Thursday following the crash, Suarez was taken to JMH and later charged with attempted murder, armed burglary, using a firearm while committing a felony, felon in possession of a firearm and battery.
He had a previous aggravated battery conviction, police said.
Suarez was being held without bond in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Monday morning.