MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A 36-year-old man who is homeless is accused of attacking another man Tuesday in southwest Miami-Dade while trying to take off with the victim’s electric scooter, authorities said.
The incident occurred shortly after 7:30 a.m. in the area of Southwest 185th Street and U.S. 1.
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According to the suspect’s arrest report, the victim was riding his scooter, approaching the busway, when he stopped at a red light.
Miami-Dade police said Eric Lee and another man, identified only as Jerome, approached the victim from behind and Lee pushed the man off the scooter, causing the victim to fall to the ground and strike his head against the pavement.
Police said the victim suffered a cut to the left side of his head, but got up and tried to stop Lee from taking his scooter by grabbing the back of his shirt.
According to the report, Lee began to punch the victim in the face and the victim defended himself.
Police said the two fell to the ground during the struggle as Jerome acted as a lookout.
According to the report, the victim’s cellphone fell out of his pocket during the fight and Lee grabbed it and tried to run away.
Police said the victim again grabbed Lee by the shirt, ripping part of it, but Jerome grabbed the victim from behind and pulled him back, allowing Lee to get away.
Jerome then fled the scene as well, authorities said.
Police said the victim rode his scooter back home and then tracked the location of his cellphone to the area of Southwest 244th Street and U.S. 1.
A witness then drove the victim to the area, where the victim saw Lee sitting at the bus stop.
Police said the two men got into another physical altercation before a police lieutenant in the area intervened.
According to the report, the victim told the lieutenant what happened and Lee was taken into custody on charges of attempted robbery, third-degree grand theft and battery.
Police said Lee denied pushing the victim off his scooter or attempting to steal it. An admission he allegedly made, however, was redacted from the publicly released report.
As of Wednesday morning, Lee remained held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center where his bond had yet to be set.
According to the arrest report, Jerome remains at large. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.