Crime & Public Safety
Man accused of striking, pushing firefighter while trying to drive through blocked crash scene on Palmetto Expressway
Miami-Dade deputies say a 38-year-old man faces allegations that he drove into a firefighter directing traffic and then pushed him while attempting to bypass a restricted multi-vehicle crash scene. Deputies responded about 5:37 a.m. Thursday to the Palmetto Expressway near Northwest 74th Avenue and say the firefighter, in uniform, had positioned an engine to block traffic and was using hand signals when a purple Dodge Challenger registered to the suspect tried to pass. Investigators allege the vehicle accelerated, struck the firefighter in the legs and knocked him back several feet, after which the driver exited the car and pushed the firefighter multiple times before fleeing northbound. The suspect, identified by deputies as Younes Bekkali, 38, was located and arrested two days later on Saturday and taken to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Midwest District station; the case remains under investigation. All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.