The incident occurred in Hialeah around 10:45 p.m. on Thursday.
The Robbery Intervention Detail in the northern part of Miami-Dade county had a detective who spotted Lerome Smith driving recklessly and without a seatbelt in a four-door BMW sedan, as per the police report.
According to the police report, when the detective attempted to pull over Smith, 28, he refused to stop and instead fled at a high speed while weaving in and out of traffic on Northwest 27th Avenue from 62nd Street. This reckless driving nearly caused several crashes on the road.
Shortly after, as stated in the arrest form, Smith’s BMW careened out of control and smashed into a fence and palm tree outside a residence on the 5100 block of East Eighth Avenue.
According to officers, he attempted to flee by foot after exiting the vehicle, which prompted law enforcement to set up a boundary in the vicinity.
Police were able to locate Smith in a nearby backyard and take him into custody with the help of a K-9 officer.
During the car search, law enforcement officials discovered a loaded .40 caliber Glock 22 easily visible on the driver’s side floor.
After sustaining injuries, Smith’s niece and nephew were immediately taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center for medical attention.
After being given medical clearance, Smith was taken into custody and is now facing multiple felony charges. These charges include two counts of child neglect causing great bodily harm.