Miami-Dade Police Officer Told Florida Highway Patrol Trooper They Needed to “Stick Together” Before DUI Arrest: FHP

A Miami-Dade Police officer pleaded with a Florida Highway Patrol trooper that they needed to "stick together" before he was arrested for driving under the influence during a traffic stop in Plantation, authorities said.

Officer Albert Steven Coriat, 40, was arrested back on Feb. 16 following the stop on Florida's Turnpike near mile marker 59, according to an FHP report released Monday.

According to the report, the trooper spotted a gray vehicle trying to make an illegal U-turn and stopped the car. When the trooper approached the car, he saw the driver, later identified as Coriat, had bloodshot and glassy eyes and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, the report said.

Coriat told the trooper he was a Miami-Dade officer and displayed his badge and police identification, and said he was fine to drive and should be let go, the report said.

"The subject then stated not to arrest him because he was a police officer and we needed to stick together," the trooper wrote in the report.

Coriat told the trooper he had stopped people in the past for DUI and had let them go, the report said.

He told the trooper he had only had two beers but when he was asked to get out of his car, he had to use the vehicle for balance and support, the report said. Coriat's speech was slurred and he was swaying while he answered questions, according to the report.

Coriat failed the field sobriety exercises and was placed under arrest. He refused to take a breath test, the report said.

While he was in a holding cell, Coriat began to vomit a red liquid substance that had an alcoholic odor, the report said. Coriat laid down in the liquid and fell asleep and was later booked into the Broward County Main Jail.

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