HIALEAH, Fla. — A road rage incident in the parking garage of Miami Dade College’s Hialeah Campus led to the arrest of a man who brandished a gun, police said.
Police said Leonard Diaz, 23, of west Miami-Dade, wound up in even more trouble because of what officers found in his car.
According to an arrest report from the Hialeah Police Department, the victim told officers that he and Diaz got into an argument while on the first floor of the parking garage of the campus, located at 1780 W. 49th St., at around 10:20 Monday morning.
It states that Diaz “reached into his vehicle and retrieved a firearm“ and ”placed (it) in his waistband and walked toward the victim’s vehicle while shouting in an aggressive manner."
“The victim further stated that (Diaz) kicked his vehicle in the process,“ the report states. ”The victim stated that due to (his) behavior, he was in fear for his life because he believed (Diaz) would use the weapon against him.”
Police said that Diaz, for his part, claimed that “the victim had been tailgating him from the first floor to the third floor of the parking garage” and “that he stopped his vehicle, exited and approached the victim’s vehicle in order to speak with him.”
“(Diaz) stated that the victim refused to speak and began revving his engine. (He) stated that he returned to his vehicle to retrieve his cell phone (and) further stated that while reaching for his cell phone, his shirt lifted and briefly exposed the concealed firearm that he had on his person,” the report states. “(Diaz) stated that he then turned around and walked back toward the victim while covering his shirt.”
Police said after Diaz told an HPD sergeant that his gun was under his front seat, the sergeant searched the vehicle and found the gun.
Authorities said during an inventory search owing to Diaz’s arrest, an officer noticed “two small baggies containing a white powdery substance, suspected to be consistent with white cocaine” as the officer retrieved Diaz’s school identification card.
Police said they also found “one small baggie” of suspected tusi, or “pink cocaine.”
They said they also found a suspected ecstasy pill and a “medium”-sized bag of suspected marijuana.
Police arrested Diaz on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm, sale or delivery of a controlled substance, improper exhibition of a firearm and unlawful discharge of a firearm in a public place.
The basis for the last charge was unclear as of Tuesday morning: the report does not mention Diaz firing the gun.
Jail records show he was being held in the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on an $8,500 bond.
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