21 hours ago
Cyclist claims Miami Beach police unfairly arrested him after cruiser incident
A 55-year-old cyclist said he was unfairly arrested and charged with two felonies after placing his hands on a police cruiser during an operation on Ocean Drive.
Vladimir Tovar, an engineer from Miami, faces charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
According to the arrest report, Tovar "intentionally struck" the cruiser hard enough to cause dents "approximately four to five times" before ignoring commands to stop.
"I put my hand (on) the police car," Tovar said after bonding out of jail Friday morning.
Tovar said he rode his bicycle into Miami Beach Thursday evening. On Ocean Drive, he rolled past undercover officers preparing to arrest people involved in illegal sales.
During the operation, officers requested a cruiser nearby to keep everyone safe, a Miami Beach Police Department spokesman said. The cruiser was partially in the bike lane when cameras recorded Tovar approaching.
"A cyclist traveling northbound reportedly struck the marked police vehicle intentionally before fleeing the area despite a sergeant's lawful directive to stop," MBPD Public Information Officer Christopher Bess said in a statement. "The cyclist was subsequently located and arrested."
Tovar insists he did nothing wrong. He said video shows another cyclist approaching him as he neared the cruiser. He claims he put his hand on the vehicle to keep his balance while avoiding the other cyclist and barriers in the street.
"The first hand (on the cruiser) was to stop," Tovar said. "The second hand (was) to (not) fall down. I just (tried) to stop."
Tovar also expressed frustration with how officers treated him after his arrest.
"It's crazy," he said. "At the Miami Beach detention center, they sent me to a little jail with people with mental problems. Then, they put me in a van with nine people with 90 degrees outside like you see people at the border."
"How can I explain this to my 17-year-old son?" he asked.
Tovar said he plans to fight the charges.
