MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — A New York man is facing multiple charges after Miami Beach police said he was found driving a stolen rental truck with seven dogs living in “unsanitary conditions” inside.
Police identified the suspect as 39-year-old Micheal Freeman, of Long Island City, New York.
According to an arrest report, officers were on routine patrol around 8:15 p.m. Friday near the 400 block of Ninth Street when a citywide be-on-the-lookout alert was issued for a stolen vehicle.
A 2021 white Ram ProMaster 2500 U-Haul was spotted entering Miami Beach via the MacArthur Causeway and traveling eastbound before turning north on Alton Road and then east on Ninth Street, the report stated.
Local 10 exclusively obtained body camera video of that moments police conducted a felony stop in a municipal parking lot along the 400 block of Ninth Street after they noticed a large dog and heard other dogs.
They said Freeman parked in a space and complied with commands to exit the truck, walking backward toward officers before being detained.
A records check confirmed the truck had been reported stolen as an overdue rental out of the city of Miami on Jan. 23, authorities said.
Inside the cargo area, officers said they found seven large-breed dogs described as “aggressive” and “highly agitated.”
The report stated that the animals were crammed together in unsanitary conditions, with feces, urine and dirty water in the back of the truck. A strong odor of waste was coming from the vehicle.
When Miami-Dade Animal Services responded and began removing the dogs, police said the animals started attacking each other, causing injuries. Officers noted the dogs appeared to be suffering from mistreatment due to the “inhumane conditions.”
Investigators also observed what appeared to be signs that Freeman had been living inside the truck with the dogs. Officers reported seeing a mattress, suitcase, pots, pans and clothing in the cargo area.
During a search, police said they found a silver tin under the driver’s seat containing a burnt pipe and suspected marijuana residue.
They said the truck was towed and impounded, and the dogs were taken into custody by Miami-Dade Animal Services. The agency told Local 10’s Rosh Lowe the animals are not available for adoption at this time because they are undergoing treatment.
“Our officers were thinking a bad guy who is in a stolen vehicle and is abusing animals has no place in our city,” said Miami Beach Police Officer Christopher Bess.
Jail records show Freeman is facing one count each of grand theft of a vehicle, cruelty to animals, and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to use.
As of Tuesday, he was being held on a $21,000 bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
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