Officers search for man after knockout blow to South Beach pedestrian

SOUTH BEACH, Fla. – One minute, Cesar Martinez was waiting for his turn to cross the road in South Beach. The next, he was on the ground bleeding. He said the recent attack was unexpected.

Surveillance video at a Walgreens on Alton Road at 10th Street, where Martinez bought shampoo, shows the attacker approach him. Martinez, 70, said he didn’t even get to see him.

“Somebody came from behind and hit me in the head, so the next time I was on the floor, I was bleeding,” Martinez said.

Martinez briefly lost consciousness and broke his nose when his head hit the pavement. A witness of the Nov. 21st attack rushed to help Martinez, while another witness followed and filmed the attacker.

“Why did you do that?” The witness asked.

The suspect, who is more than 6-feet tall, raised his arms and didn’t say anything.

Witnesses said this man punched a 70-year-old pedestrian on Nov. 21st in South Beach. (MBPD)

Miami Beach Fire Rescue personnel took Martinez to Mount Sinai Hospital.

Miami Beach police officers are asking anyone with information about Martinez’s attacker to call Miami-Dade County Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Detectives are searching for this man who witnesses say is responsible for knocking down a 70-year-old man on Nov. 21 in South Beach. (MBPD)

MBPD post on Facebook


About the Authors:

Janine Stanwood joined Local 10 News in February 2004 as an assignment editor. She is now a general assignment reporter. Before moving to South Florida from her Washington home, Janine was the senior legislative correspondent for a United States senator on Capitol Hill.

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.