MIAMI – A police pursuit in Miami-Dade County ended with the armed 20-year-old driver of a black Maserati Ghibli crashing into a police car, according to police.
Rodrigo Perez appeared in Miami-Dade court on Thursday and was held without bond after his arrest at about 3 p.m., on Wednesday, on the State Road 826 ramp at Northwest Seventh Avenue.
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The Miami Gardens Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol worked together during the chase. The pursuit started in the area of Northwest 22 Avenue and 175 Street in Miami Gardens.
An FHP trooper reported Perez was speeding recklessly, and while traveling northbound on Northwest 22 Avenue, he did not stop at red lights, according to the arrest report.
At the intersection of Northwest Seventh Avenue and State Road 826, Perez drove over the grassy median and eastbound on the westbound lanes, according to police.
Perez later turned onto Northwest Seventh Avenue again and that’s when he crashed head-on with an unmarked police car, according to police.
Perez opened the driver’s side door while holding a gun with his right hand, and dropped it onto the floorboard of the Maserati before police officers pulled him out of the car, according to the arrest form.
Perez is facing charges of fleeing and eluding police, aggravated battery with great bodily harm, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, fleeing and eluding a police car with lights and siren, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, openly carrying a weapon and reckless driving.
Detectives were asking anyone with information about the case to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.