Fight between Miami police officer, lieutenant caught on camera

Police: Fight broke out during traffic stop

MIAMI – Two Miami police officers are under investigation after getting into a fight during a traffic stop, and it was all caught on camera.

Police said a uniformed police officer, Marcel Jackson, pulled over Lt. David Ramras, and that's when a physical altercation broke out.

According to Jackson, Ramras was speeding and wouldn't stop when Jackson initially tried to pull him over. Jackson said he pursued Ramras for a couple of blocks before Ramras pulled over.

Video from Jackson's personal GoPro camera showed Jackson asking Ramras for his driver's license and proof of insurance. That's when Ramras opened the door and appeared to lunge at Jackson. It is unclear why Jackson had his GoPro camera with him, and the Miami Police Department does not have dashboard cameras.

Several officers on the scene tried to separate the two men.

Once Jackson realized that Ramras was a lieutenant in the Internal Affairs Unit, and veteran of more than a couple of decades, he allegedly put the camera between the seats, but kept rolling the audio.

The president of the Fraternal Order of Police, Javier Ortiz, said he responded to the scene after one of the men requested for the FOP to respond.

"Time will tell how this will play out," said Ortiz. "I believe that Officer Jackson was acting in good faith when he pulled over Lt. Ramras. Once the contact was made between the officer and the lieutenant, that's where things get sketchy."

Ramras has since been reassigned to another unit so that he is not in the unit that is investigating the incident. Jackson has been suspended with pay.

"Only time will tell once the investigation plays out who was in the right and who was in the wrong," said Ortiz.

The Miami-Dade Office of the State Attorney is reviewing the case


About the Author:

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.