NORTHWEST MIAMI DADE, Fla. – The driver of a stolen black Dodge Charger who led police on a chase that lasted about four miles on Thursday faces several felony charges.
Raphael Joubert Francois, 22, of Miami Gardens was identified as the driver. Just before 3 p.m. on Thursday, a Miami-Dade police officer spotted the black Charger southbound on NW 27th Avenue from NW 79th Street driving at a high rate of speed. According to police, the driver was weaving in and out of traffic. As police attempted to stop the man later identified as Francois, he continued driving eastbound on NW 95th Street.
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A Miami-Dade school board police officer spotted the car and followed the driver. Multiple patrol cars joined the pursuit at the intersection of NW 119th Street and 22nd Avenue. The driver ignored demands to stop and continued.
During the pursuit, police said he ran a red light at the intersection of NW 127th Street and 17th Avenue.
Sky 10 overhead video captured another vehicle, an older model SUV that had been damaged after Francois struck that car during the chase, at the intersection.
The vehicle eventually came to a stop at the intersection of NW 117th Street and NW 17th Ave. after the rear driver-side tire blew out and the rear bumper was hanging off from the collision.
Police pulled Francois from the vehicle and arrested him.
Francois faces charges of fleeing and eluding police officers, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and knowingly driving with a suspended license.