Miramar man arrested after striking Miami-Dade deputy on Florida’s Turnpike, cops say
.jpg "Police say a Miramar man entered an active scene on Florida’s Turnpike on Saturday, Dec. 27, striking a Miami-Dade sheriff’s deputy with his car and causing the turnpike to be closed for hours.")
A Miramar man has been arrested and charged in a weekend crash that left a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputy critically injured on Florida’s Turnpike, authorities said.
According to an arrest affidavit, the driver was Lonnel Duwayne Brinson Jr., 28, of the 14900 block of NW 52nd Street in Miramar.
Brinson, who had a suspended license, was taken into custody on Saturday, Dec. 27, following the accident in the northbound express lanes of the turnpike between the 41st and 58nd streets exits in Miami-Dade, officials said.
The accident happened around 7 a.m. while Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Deputy Leonard Cantave, on his way to work, was assisting the Florida Highway Patrol at an earlier traffic crash, where a motorist was trapped.
Cantave had parked his marked patrol vehicle with emergency lights on to help block the northbound lanes and protect motorists and officers at the scene.
According to the affidavit, Brinson was driving a 2019 Mazda CX-5 northbound when he entered the active crash scene without slowing down, despite multiple emergency vehicles with lights activated.
Authorities said Brinson swerved across lanes and struck Cantave before continuing across the roadway and coming to a stop on the shoulder, showing “a willful and wanton disregard for the safety of all civilians and law enforcement officers walking on or standing on the roadway,” the affidavit said.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue airlifted the deputy to HCA Florida Kendall Hospital, where he was first listed in critical condition. His condition has improved to stable as of Dec. 29.
The accident caused the turnpike to shut down for hours.
Brinson, who remained at the scene, was arrested and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Brinson allegedly admitted to investigators to being under the influence of alcohol and marijuana at the time of the crash, the arrest affidavit said. Blood samples were obtained pursuant to a warrant, with results pending.
He was charged with driving with a suspended license and reckless driving causing serious bodily injury. He has since been released on bond.
A records check in Broward County revealed Brinson’s driver’s license had been suspended multiple times, most recently earlier in December.
