A suspect who stole a tow truck led authorities on a chase before crashing the truck into an apartment building in Hialeah early Wednesday.
According to police, the chase began when the suspect, identified as 21-year-old Daniel Ramon Lorido, was involved in an accident on State Road 112 near Okeechobee Road.
A Miami-Dade Road Ranger arrived to assist but Lorido jumped into the driver's truck and took off, police said.
The driver reported the truck stolen and an officer spotted it a short time later driving erratically on W. 16th Avenue, police said..
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An officer attempted to stop the truck but Lorido took off and a chase ensued, police said. The pursuit ended around 4 a.m. when the truck crashed into the apartment building at 1555 W. 44th Place.
Reinaldo Aspuru, his wife and their grandchild were in the apartment at the time but were uninjured.
Aspuru said he was woken up to what sounded like an explosion.
"I take my wife and grandchild and put them inside the bathroom, I said 'stay here I dont know what happened,'" he said.
Aspuru said once he came out to his living room he heard police yelling to him to stop and stay inside of a room.
Fire Rescue workers had to cut Lorido out of the badly damaged truck. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital in stable condition, fire rescue officials said.
Lorido was later released from the hospital and booked into jail on charges of robbery/highjacking and fleeing or eluding police. He was being held on $18,500 bond and it was unknown whether he has an attorney.
Aspuru said the truck narrowly missed driving into the bedroom where the family was sleeping.
"I have to give a thank you to God, because we are living," he said. "If he comes one meter to the side he kill me, he kill my family."
Check back with NBC 6 South Florida and NBC6.com for updates.
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