Armed robber steals phone from basketball court, leads police on two-county chase, cops say
What started as a theft of a cellphone on a Pembroke Pines basketball court ended with a crash and arrest in North Miami Beach after a two-county chase, Pembroke Pines police said Tuesday night.
According to the department, officers responded to 7900 Johnson St., the site of the basketball court, just before 2:30 p.m. after getting a report of an armed robbery.
Officers learned that someone had stolen a cellphone from the ground while the victim and a friend were playing basketball.
“When the victim approached the suspect he removed a black pistol from his waistband and told the victim to get back,” police said in a news release.
The suspect, police say, then fled in a white four-door Chrysler. Officers were able to get the tag of the Chrysler, which led them to a Miramar home, the department said.
“While at that address, detectives observed the vehicle and attempted a high risk traffic stop,” police said in the news release. “The vehicle fled the area nearly striking one of the detectives.”
Pembroke Pines police then “initiated a pursuit, but lost sight of the vehicle.”
Soon after, a Miramar officer spotted the car in the 6600 block of County Line Road and followed, police said.
Ultimately, the driver of the Chrysler, later identified as 24-year-old Ariel Garcia, crashed the car into a pole in the area of Northeast 163rd Street and Northeast Seventh Avenue in North Miami Beach.
Garcia took off running, but was later taken into custody in the 600 block of Northwest 163rd Street.
Garcia could face charges of armed robbery, aggravated fleeing and eluding and aggravated assault.
This story was originally published November 12, 2019 at 8:21 PM.
