Phillip Monch was shocked Tuesday to hear that the police officer who plowed his vehicle into the back of his father's car had allegedly been drinking.
For his part, Fernando Monch says he is not sure why he survived the hit-and-run accident early Sunday at the corner of Southwest 56th Street and 127th Avenue.
His older model Mazda, struck from the rear, spun around five times, the 63-year-old man said. The car that hit him never stopped.
"I don't know what to say. That's pretty messed up," said the younger Monch while checking out the damage to his dad's car.
Miami-Dade Police acted quickly after the crash, arresting Officer Larry Laverde, 30. The seven-year veteran of the police department is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, failure to render aid, and driving under the influence. It wasn’t immediately known whether Laverde has an attorney.
One witness said the light-colored Dodge Charger was "hauling butt" down the road. Police describe the vehicle involved as a "marked police vehicle.”
Victim Fernando Monch has been seeing doctors since the accident. At the scene over the weekend he said there were two cop cars involved, but witnesses did not say anything about a second police car.
"Something crazy," the shaken victim said then. "Completely 100 percent irresponsible. They could have killed me. I am alive, because, I don't know. Thank God."
Miami-Dade Police issued a statement which read in part: “This officer’s actions tarnish the badge of every hard-working officer that puts his/her life on the line daily, while protecting and serving.”
Laverde has been suspended with pay, pending the outcome of the investigation, police said.
Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida