Social media, GPS link Miami man to ramming of police vehicle during street takeover, investigators say

CBS News

01-04-2025

A man faces multiple felony charges after allegedly ramming a stolen Jeep into a police vehicle and launching fireworks at an officer during a chaotic illegal street takeover in Miami Gardens on November of 2024.
Loay Ihsan Hussein, 20, was arrested on Monday, March 31, following a months-long investigation that linked him to the violent incident through social media posts, GPS data and fingerprint evidence.
The confrontation, captured on video and widely circulated online, left an officer fearing for his life and a police vehicle damaged.
The arrest report details how an officer responded to reports of an illegal intersection takeover at NE 183rd Street and NE 2nd Court around 3:36 a.m. on November 30.
Upon arrival, he observed a crowd watching a silver Chrysler 300 performing reckless donuts.
As he activated his lights and sirens to disperse the group, a black Jeep Grand Cherokee Track Hawk emerged from the northwest, accelerating toward his marked Dodge Durango in an apparent attempt to strike it head-on.
Authorities said the officer reversed to avoid the collision, but the Jeep struck his vehicle's front end before fleeing eastbound.
During the encounter, fireworks were launched from the Jeep's direction, exploding on the officer's vehicle and causing damage, according to the arrest report.
Investigators later determined the Jeep was stolen earlier that night from Pembroke Pines.
Video evidence from the scene, posted on the "Only in Dade" social media page, corroborated the officer's account, showing the Jeep's aggressive maneuvers and the fireworks attack.
Detectives traced the Jeep to its recovery location in Pembroke Park later that day, where it was returned to the girlfriend of the vehicle's owner.
She told detectives she was unaware of the Jeep's involvement in the crime until friends alerted her to news reports and social media posts.
She provided a social media image of a masked male standing in front of the Jeep shortly after it was stolen.
Further investigation zeroed in on an Instagram account where a user posted a photo of himself with the Jeep and a taunting caption: "WHO MIGHT THAT BE" with a smiling emoji.
Detectives identified the account owner as Hussein through additional posts and matched the Jeep's distinctive features to crime scene photos.
Fingerprint evidence lifted from the Jeep's sunroof and GPS data placing the vehicle at the incident cemented Hussein's connection to the crime. He was taken into custody and declined to speak without an attorney present.
Hussein now faces charges including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault on an officer, criminal mischief over $1,000 and throwing a deadly missile.
He was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and is being held without bond.