Homeless Man Charged In Miami Beach Crash That Killed Bystander

MIAMI BEACH, FL — A homeless man has been charged with conspiracy to commit grand theft and may face additional charges after allegedly stealing a BMW late Monday night and leading police on a wild crash-filled chase that resulted in the death of a 68-year-old woman and caused injuries to two police officers over a span of a number of blocks from Miami Beach to Surfside and back.

The homeless man was identified by Miami Beach police as 35-year-old Timothy D. Bowers, who was taken into custody along with a Memphis man around 7:26 p.m. Tuesday night in the parking lot of the Collins Hotel at 6600 Collins Avenue.

Both men were sitting in a 2008 Nissan Versa where police discovered a gold cardboard box containing three small plastic bags of cocaine and a plastic bag of Xanax bars. Police also found a blue tube containing seven plastic bags of marijuana. Miami Beach police said Bowers had a plastic bag containing cocaine in his right pant pocket.

Police said Bowers refused to get out of the passenger side of the Nissan at first and provided a false name when he was taken into custody.

"The defendant was then taken out of the vehicle by detectives and placed in a prone position," according to arrest documents. "While doing so, the defendant actively resisted by tensing up his body and pulling his hands away with the clear intention to avoid being placed into custody."

Arrest documents said one of the detectives struck Bowers with a right elbow to his head during a scuffle. The other man taken into custody was identified as 35-year-old Richard Lamar Wallace, who had an open warrant for cocaine and marijuana possession. He was charged with additional drug offenses stemming from his arrest in Miami Beach.

"We are now working with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office to determine if any additional charges are applicable," said Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department on Wednesday.

Bowers was also charged with possession of cocaine, resisting arrest without violence and providing a false name to police after being arrested.

The 68-year-old Miami Beach woman died after a Miami Beach police officer slammed into her Honda while chasing the stolen BMW.

The woman was identified as Ivonne Reyes, who was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where she later died of her injuries, according to Rodriguez. She was not involved in the police chase.

"It’s a sad day in any community when the criminal actions of an individual result in the loss of a life of an innocent bystander and an injury to two law enforcement officers," City Manager Jimmy Morales told reporters on Tuesday. "There's nothing I can say that will change what happened but certainly we pray for them and extend our condolences and our support in any way."

Miami Beach Police Chief Daniel Oates said the incident began at 11:10 p.m. Monday when the driver of the blue 2008 BMW left his keys in the car as he went into a convenience store at 74 Street and Collins Avenue.

"The suspect enters the car and drives away northbound on Collins Avenue," said Oates. "About 40 minutes later, the car is spotted by one officer in the vicinity of 76 Street and Dickens Avenue. That officer attempts to stop the car but the car drives off. Shortly thereafter, another officer sees the vehicle on 76 Street and attempts to stop it. The vehicle flees but the officer collides with a 2007 Honda at the intersection of 76 Street and Byron Avenue."

That officer was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital with head and chest injuries. Another Miami Beach police officer spotted the BMW heading into nearby Surfside and he tried to stop the driver at 86 Street and Byron Avenue, even drawing his handgun while sitting in his squad car but the officer did not fire.

"The suspect rams our officer's vehicle and then turns west on 88 Street approaching yet another dead end," said Oates. "Multiple officers are now responding to this situation and the suspect turns the car around to flee and rams another officer's vehicle, disabling it."

The second injured officer was taken to Mount Sinai Medical Center for potential injuries, including whiplash. He was later sent home.

"We then receive a report from a witness that the vehicle is traveling southbound on the beach walk, possibly having entered at 73 Street," said Oates.

Police found the BMW abandoned along the beach walk at 53 Street but the driver was not immediately located.

"The vehicle comes to a stop in the soft sand around 53 Street and the suspect flees," said Oates. "A perimeter is set up in an attempt to capture him, but we are unsuccessful."

Oates said earlier that the suspect would be charged with murder, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and auto theft once he was taken into custody.

To report a tip, call police or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305.471.TIPS.