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Enrique Pérez-Palenzuela, 55 years old and a resident of Hialeah, was arrested on Thursday by the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office after being caught driving a vehicle completely outfitted as a police patrol car while wearing a uniform with badge, tactical belt, and firearm.
The incident took place at a Wawa gas station located at 248th Street and 112th Avenue in southwest Miami-Dade, where a detective observed a Dodge Charger parked with its emergency lights activated, according to the arrest report released by Univision 23 Miami.
The driver got out of the car fully uniformed and, instead of leaving, continued to drive around the shopping plaza with the emergency lights on.
It was at that moment when the agents decided to pull him over to question him about the use of the emergency equipment.
In response to the authorities' questions, Pérez-Palenzuela provided an explanation that convinced no one: he stated that he had "just purchased the car and did not know that the lights were on".
The vehicle inspection completely disproved that version. The car not only had emergency lights, but also sirens, a spotlight, a front push bar, and, most revealing, a compartment specifically designed for transporting detainees.
That level of equipment rules out any explanation of ignorance or coincidence.
The authorities indicated that the array of elements found in the vehicle suggests a deliberate and systematic preparation, rather than an improvised disguise or equipment installed by the manufacturer.
The case has attracted attention in South Florida, where impersonation of police officers is a recurring issue. However, few cases feature a setup as elaborate as that of Pérez-Palenzuela, which combined complete police attire with a vehicle outfitted with the same components as an actual patrol car.
Pérez-Palenzuela appeared before the Miami-Dade Criminal Court facing two formal charges: impersonating a law enforcement officer and unlawful use of emergency lights.
This Friday, he remains incarcerated at TGK with a bail set at $3,000, a relatively low amount considering the severity of the charges.
In Florida, the crime of impersonating a police officer is classified under statute §843.0855 as a third-degree felony, with a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 if convicted.
Hialeah, a city with a majority Hispanic population in Miami-Dade and a high concentration of residents of Cuban origin, is the residence of the accused. The arrest was carried out by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, which has jurisdiction over the unincorporated areas of the county where the incident occurred.
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