Hialeah security guard arrested after pulling over Miami police officer

Suspect says he pulled officer over because she was using cellphone, police say

MIAMI – A Hialeah man who works as a security guard was arrested Wednesday after he pulled over a city of Miami police officer because she was talking on her cellphone, authorities said.

According to an arrest report, Officer Kenia Fallat was driving west on Southwest Seventh Street, approaching 13th Avenue when Milton Morales-Perez, 46, pulled up next to her in a 2010 white Ford Mustang.

Police said Fallat was in her unmarked police-issued Taurus and was in full police uniform.

Authorities said Morales-Perez flashed a silver badge at Fallat and told her to roll down her window and hang up the phone.

Fallat said she heard the suspect tell her in Spanish, "Police. Stop the car."

Fallat immediately used her police radio to call for backup, the report said.

Two officers arrived at the scene and arrested Morales-Perez on a charge of impersonating a police officer.

Police said when asked why he was carrying a badge, Morales-Perez said that he was a security guard.

Police also asked him why he tried to pull over Fallat, to which they said he replied, "She was on the phone and it is very dangerous to be on the phone while driving."

Local 10 News reporter Terrell Forney spoke to Morales-Perez Thursday, who said that he believes the incident was a misunderstanding.

He said he never claimed to be a police officer and that Fallat must have seen his security uniform.

Morales-Perez said he did tell her that it's dangerous to talk on the cellphone, but said Fallat pulled up in front of his car and yelled, "What did you say to me?"

Perez, who has a clean criminal record, now has a criminal charge pending against him that he believes is unfair.

"It's not possible to explain in English," he said. 


About the Authors:

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

Terrell Forney joined Local 10 News in October 2005 as a general assignment reporter. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, but a desire to escape the harsh winters of the north brought him to South Florida.