Police in Miami Springs, Florida have arrested a 61-year-old man after he cut a man’s cheek while wielding a machete in a wild case of road rage.
The incident occurred on September 29 on NW 42nd Avenue and was captured on the dashcam of a nearby car. It shows Luis Ruiz-Herrera exiting his truck and approaching a man who was riding a scooter. Herrera can then be seen swinging the machete at the man and while the scooter rider was able to lean backward, the blade still struck him on the cheek.
While it is unclear what proceeded the road rage incident, Fox News reports that Ruiz-Herrera fled the scene after the attack. Fortunately, local police were quickly able to track him down through the license plate number of his truck and found him at his residence. He admitted to the attack and claimed he had hit the scooter rider with the machete after he allegedly disrespected his mother. The rider identified him from a photo lineup.
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Video Miami Springs Police
“The victim was able to dismount his motor scooter in time and retreat backward as Ruiz-Herrera closed the gap between them,” the Miami Springs Police Department said in a statement. “Ruiz-Herrera swung the machete at the victim, making contact with the left side of his face. The crime stemmed from a road rage incident and was caught on video by a third-party motorist who was also in traffic, directly behind the scooter.”
Ruiz-Herrera was placed into custody and taken to court where he was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. He was also ordered to stay away from the victim.
A charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon is considered a second-degree felony in Florida and is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.