Miami-Dade officer leaves police work after pleading guilty to official misconduct

A Miami-Dade police officer accused of lying about a patrol-car fender-bender — as well as stalking his ex-girlfriend — will serve 36 months of probation and has agreed to leave law enforcement work.

Joshua Zacarias, 34, will also get credit for the 80 days he spent in jail since his arrest in February. He was released from custody on Tuesday.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of official misconduct, and in the other case, aggravated stalking. The convictions will not show on his criminal history.

Prosecutors said Zacarias, in March 2013, reported that someone had used a key to vandalize his police patrol car while it was parked at his home. But when Zacarias brought the car to the Northwest District police station, officers noticed the damage appeared to have been sustained in a hit-and-run crash, according to an arrest warrant.

The damage along the entire side of the right side of the car included yellow paint. Internal affairs investigators suspected that Zacarias, after an all-night overtime shift, accidentally hit a chain-link gate at the district station, 5975 Miami Lakes Drive East.

He was also accused of writing dozens of messages to his ex, in violation of a restraining order.

This story was originally published July 21, 2015 at 7:47 PM with the headline "Miami-Dade officer leaves police work after pleading guilty to official misconduct."