MIAMI – Miami police said a “minor traffic accident” turned into an armed robbery in the city’s Wynwood neighborhood in December, leading to serious charges for the 24-year-old man they said was responsible for escalating the situation. Detectives took him into custody on Monday.
According to an arrest report, scooter rider Geryeson Raniel Castro got into a crash with a pickup truck driver just after 3:45 p.m. on Dec. 17 along Northwest Second Avenue, between 33rd and 34th Streets — about two blocks away from his home.
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The two agreed to drive off the main road onto Northwest 34th Terrace, police said. Authorities said the victim got out of his truck with his cellphone and told Castro he was going to call police to get a report.
“According to the victim, (Castro) replied in Spanish with a Venezuelan accent, ‘Don’t call police, I don’t have a license and the scooter is not mine,’” the arrest report states. “The victim responded he wanted a police report for the minor damage and began to dial his phone (and Castro) then snatched the phone from the victim’s hands.”
That led to a tussle, which led to Castro pulling out a handgun from his waistband and dropping the victim’s phone, police said.
“In fear for his life,” the victim tried to grab Castro’s gun, leading the latter to fire off a shot, police said.
Police said Castro then “gained control of the situation” and fired another shot into the air, causing the victim to stop.
The report states that Castro then demanded the man’s wallet. When he told Castro he didn’t carry one, police said he picked up the victim’s phone and fled east towards Northwest 34th Street.
Authorities said the victim suffered “minor bruises to the left side of his cheek and knuckles” during the ordeal.
Police said they recovered two 9 mm shell casings at the scene and saw possible blood droplets on the ground. They said they also found “a black baseball hat and a pair of pink sunglasses” that Castro left behind.
Authorities said they were able to identify Castro as the suspect through “investigative techniques” and put out a warrant for his arrest, taking him into custody Monday. Police said the victim picked him out of a photo lineup.
Castro “denied any involvement in the robbery.”
On Tuesday, a judge found probable cause to charge the Venezuelan national with armed robbery and aggravated assault with a firearm and ordered he be held without bond.
Jail records show that Castro was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Tuesday afternoon.