MIAMI, FL — An on-duty police officer was arrested after crashing his county-issued SUV into an occupied parked police vehicle and drawing his gun Tuesday afternoon, according to a Miami-Dade Police Department news release.
Victor Montalvo, a 20-year-veteran of the department, was charged with driving under the influence. Additional charges are pending review, the agency said.
He was driving west on SW 72nd Street in his unmarked SUV around 12:40 p.m. when he hit the marked police vehicle, which was parked to block the inner lane and protect roadway crew.
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The other officer got out of his damaged police vehicle, while Montalvo “unsteadily” exited his damaged SUV, according to the arrest report.
While the other officer checked on the safety of the work crew, the workers spotted Montalvo “lying prone” in the road. When they pointed this out to the other officer, Montalvo reached into the front of his waistband, pulled out his gane and took “what appeared to be a low-ready, prone, tactical-type position with what appeared to be a dazed or confused look on his face,” the report said.
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The other officer drew his gun, aimed it at Montalvo and ordered him to drop his gun. Montalvo complied with the orders and the officer kicked the gun away.
While he was detained in the back of a police vehicle, Montalvo told officers, “I drank too much.”
Another officer smelled “an odor of an alcoholic beverage on the defendant’s breath, (saw) his watery eyes, (heard) his slurred speech, and (noted) that the defendant appeared to be confused about what had happened and where he was,” the arrest report said.
Montalvo refused to give a breath sample at the scene.
Both officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash.
“As the police director, I am disheartened by the recent incident involving one of my officers who was arrested for driving under the influence, while on duty,” Stephanie V. Daniels, MDPD director, said. “My officers are held to the highest standards of conduct, both on and off duty, and the actions of this individual do not reflect the core values of our department. The officer has been relieved of duty and we will continue to work with the state attorney’s office throughout the judicial process.”
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