One of the country's fastest runners couldn't outrun the police

Miami track star Tyrese Cooper, one of the nation’s top high school sprint and mid-distance runners, was accused by Miami-Dade police of trying to steal a rental car from the Miami Intermodal Center near MIA.

The Monday arrest, in which police charged Cooper, 18, with attempted grand theft of a vehicle, possession of burglary tools, loitering and prowling, and criminal mischief, could keep him out of this weekend's state track and field championships in Jacksonville. The meet, which gathers the top high school athletes in Florida, is set to begin Friday at the University of North Florida.

Cooper was previously named the Florida Dairy Farmers Association’s Athlete of the Year for Florida in 2016, in his freshman year at American High. He transferred to Miami Norland for his sophomore year and built his résumé on the field.

At Miami Norland, Cooper, now a junior, has racked up an impressive tally on the track, which made him a strong favorite again at this year's state tournament. Last year, at 17, he won state titles in the 200 and 400 meter events. He finished second in the 100-meter sprint.

Cooper ranks 14th in the United States in the 100-meter sprint, fifth in the 200 meters, and fourth in the mid-distance 400 meters, which he ran in 46.4 seconds, reported the Miami New Times. The weekly noted that Cooper has been timed faster than Olympics superstar sprinter, Usain Bolt, at a similar age.

According to the police report, Cooper, along with Shomari Durosier, Andy Vieux and Kareem Booth, all 18, along with two juveniles, ages 16 and 17, were spotted casing the third floor of the Miami Intermodal Center, 3900 NW 25th St., by a Hertz manager.

The accused six were in an unauthorized area for cars. The Hertz manager told police he saw chains cut from the concrete barrier near a parked vehicle that was used by the group. The affidavit says that there have been several incidents in which barricade chains have been cut and removed to facilitate the theft of rental cars.

When police stopped the suspects, they saw a bolt cutter in plain view in the rear right passenger side floor board between the co-defendants' feet. According to the arrest report, Cooper told police he was driven to the center with the purpose of stealing rental cars.

Cooper's bail has been set at $11,000.

On April 2, court records show that Cooper was charged by Miami-Dade police with a misdemeanor for resisting arrest without violence.

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This story was originally published May 1, 2018 at 6:09 PM with the headline "One of the country's fastest runners couldn't outrun the police."