Florida Highway Patrol troopers report rescuing girl from drunk father in Miami-Dade

Bernard Smith Florida Highway Patrol troopers arrested Bernard Smith on Saturday in Miami-Dade County.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A man faced charges after Florida Highway Patrol troopers reported finding him drunk with his daughter on the Palmetto Expressway in Miami-Dade County.

Bernard Smith was with his 9-year-old daughter in a Jeep that was parked on Saturday on the right shoulder of the Palmetto Expressway, records show.

The girl wasn’t wearing a seat belt, and Smith had “bloodshot watery eyes,” slurred speech, and reeked of alcohol, according to an arrest report.

Smith failed the field sobriety tests he attempted to perform along the westbound lanes of State Road 826, near Northwest 12 Avenue, records show.

A road ranger arrested Smith shortly before 2:45 a.m. on Saturday, and Miami-Dade prosecutors filed a case against him on Sunday, records show.

Court records show Smith has an arrest record with the Opa-locka, Miami, and Miami-Dade Schools’ police departments, and with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.

Smith’s bond on a felony charge of child neglect was $5,000. His arraignment on the child neglect case is on March 4. Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge David Young was set to preside over the case.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.

About The Author
Andrea Torres

Andrea Torres

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.