Newly-released surveillance footage depicts a Miami Beach police officer swiftly departing from the scene as bystanders alert him to a hit-and-run incident involving a driver and a cyclist, which occurred right outside the department’s headquarters.
Officer Edward Cavalie was responsible for the death of the victim died, who passed away shortly after being transported to the hospital. The city’s police chief expressed his disappointment in Officer Cavalie’s negligent and inactive response, resulting in the officer losing his job.
Cavalie joined the force less than a year ago when police reported that Demarcus Cortez Harrington, driving a Ford Bronco, collided with Esmat Ahmed Ibrahim Khedr, a 63-year-old cyclist, on April 28. The incident occurred on the 1100 block of Washington Avenue, and Harrington left Khedr at the scene, assuming she was dead.
Miami Beach police Chief Wayne Jones released a statement stating that after being notified of the crash, Cavalie instructed the civilians who reported the collision to go to the police station and file the report themselves. He then left the scene.
According to an arrest warrant, the witness entered the station, and another officer who arrived later discovered Khedr, a resident of Miami Beach, in an unconscious and non-breathing state. Tragically, doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital later pronounced her dead.
According to Jones, the internal investigators were made aware of Cavalie’s inaction three days later. It’s worth mentioning that Cavalie, who was sworn in on July 11, 2023, was still in his probationary period at that time.
Jones criticized the response, stating that it was negligent and a clear violation of their departmental policy. He further added that after conducting a thorough investigation, they promptly terminated Mr. Cavalie’s employment.
In July, Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Harrington, a 43-year-old resident of Dania Beach, and returned him to Miami-Dade County.
According to an arrest warrant, a witness reported to the police that Harrington was seen “looking back through his passenger side mirror and shrugging his shoulders as he sped away from the scene.”
According to the police, Harrington was approached by someone he knew who was driving another Ford Bronco. The acquaintance urged Harrington to go back to the scene, but Harrington adamantly refused, stating that he had no intention of returning to jail.
According to records from the Iowa Department of Corrections, Harrington has experienced several periods of probation, parole, and imprisonment in Iowa.
Cortez Harrington Demarcus, as listed in jail and court records, is still being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Wednesday. He is facing a charge of leaving the scene of a crash that resulted in a fatality.
The defendant is set to appear in court again on October 2nd.
Jones expressed his disappointment with Cavalie’s actions, stating that they do not represent the commitment and professionalism exhibited by the dedicated individuals in the Miami Beach Police Department.
The chief stressed the importance of upholding the highest standards within the department. He made it clear that any behavior resembling that of Mr. Cavalie would not be tolerated. Additionally, he expressed his condolences and offered prayers to the victim of this unfortunate incident.