A man and a woman from Chicago were arrested early Thursday morning in Miami Beach after one of them struck a police vehicle with a bottle of Hennessey, leading to a confrontation with the police sergeant who was driving the car, authorities said.
The incident occurred just after 3 a.m. at the intersection of 11th Street and Collins Avenue.
According to their arrest reports, the sergeant was responding to an emergency call regarding a stabbing when Kellen Lashaun McMiller, 31, struck the sergeant’s car with a large bottle of Hennessey.
Police said the sergeant got out of his car and tried to grab the bottle from McMiller, but McMiller pushed the sergeant’s chest.
The sergeant was eventually able to grab the bottle away, at which time McMiller and Catrina Jones, 29, got within inches of his face and began to yell, “I will f*** you up,” “You’re a p****,” and “Let’s f*** this mother f***** up,” the arrest reports stated.
The tourists declined to go on camera but told Local 10 News that they were almost run over by police. They said they got upset so they banged on the police car window with their fists, not a bottle.
According to the arrest reports, the sergeant tried to call for backup and activate his body-worn camera, but he could not do so safely because the duo had taken a fighting stance and a large crowd had gathered to watch the confrontation, leaving the sergeant outnumbered.
Police said the sergeant first deployed his stun gun at McMiller, who slowly fell to the ground.
“Oh, we are going to really f*** you up now. Get up baby,” Jones said, according to the reports.
Police said Jones reached down and tried to remove the probes and the sergeant yelled at her to stop or she would get it too.
While the sergeant’s body-worn camera still had yet to be activated, the incident was captured on cellphone video by a bystander. It shows the sergeant pushing McMiller back before deploying his taser. Jones was then tased shortly after.
According to the arrest reports, the body-worn camera was activated after both subjects were subdued.
Backup also eventually arrived after officers who were nearby heard the sound of the stun gun.
McMiller was arrested on charges of battery on a police officer, resisting an officer with violence and possession of an open container of alcohol, while Jones was arrested on a charge of resisting an officer with violence.
The couple’s friend, Sean Rhodes, was also arrested nearby on charges of carrying an open container and resisting arrest.
