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Officers Involved In Chase Placed On Leave

Police Spokeswoman Says Officers Acted Inappropriately

POSTED: Wednesday, December 5, 2007
UPDATED: 8:11 am EST December 6, 2007

Two Miami-Dade police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave after a spokeswoman for the department said they acted inappropriately following a high-speed chase that ended when officers apparently beat the man responsible.

Video from Sky 10 showed officers punching and kicking the man, who bailed out of a gold Volvo station wagon in the parking lot of a customs cargo clearance center at Miami International Airport.

"The initial assessment is that the officer acted inappropriately," said Miami-Dade police Cmdr. Linda O'Brien.

Police began chasing the car following a report of an armed robbery near Northwest 36th Street and 29th Avenue. Sky 10 was in the air as the vehicle could be seen traveling at a high rate of speed and, at times, traveling in the wrong direction.

The chase ended when the man, who has been identified as 36-year-old Angel Soto, pulled into the airport parking lot and crashed his vehicle. He then ran from the car, threw his arms into the air and jumped into the monkey grass, where police tackled him.

Video shows the first officer who pounced on the man punch him. Other officers piled on and appeared to punch and kick Soto, who didn't appear to fight back.

The names of the officers involved have not been released.

Investigators later searched Soto, who appeared to be in considerable pain. O'Brien said she wasn't sure if a gun or any other weapon had been found.

"We are looking at this (video) frame by frame," said O'Brien.

The station wagon was registered to Soto's wife, Betty. She said they had recently gotten into an argument about his use of the car.

"He ran because the other day I told him I had reported the car stolen," she said.

Betty Soto also said her husband was driving with a suspended license and has a prior criminal record as a car thief. He was released from prison in October after serving a year for grand theft auto and eluding authorities.

"I understand, yes, he did wrong, but, OK, for doing that, I know he's going to serve some time, but did he deserve the beating?" Betty Soto asked.
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