Police are investigating a road rage incident that led to a hit-and-run crash in Miami Beach that was caught on camera.
The incident happened around 6:30 a.m. Saturday on 9th Street near Collins Avenue, and was caught on surveillance cameras owned by Mitch Novick.
Novick, who owns the nearby Sherbrooke Hotel and posted the video to his Facebook Page "The South Beach Sludge Report," said there have been multiple fights and hit and runs in the area, but this one was different.
"It's especially violent," Novick told NBC 6 in a phone interview Tuesday.
The video shows a white BMW 650I back into a black Mercedes SUV, then accelerate forward, taking out a light pole in the process. When the SUV turned around and started to leave, the BMW followed the SUV and rear-ended it, the video shows.
Miami Beach Police said they're investigating the incident and have found the BMW, which is a rental car. They said they're working to identify the driver.
"Despite this unfortunate event, we have generally experienced a calm Spring Break so far. We have had thousands of visitors from around the world enjoying Miami Beach and Ocean Drive," Miami Beach Police Chief Daniel Oates said in a statement. "We will be adding more security in the vicinity of 9th Street and Ocean Drive for the remainder of Spring Break. As always, we appreciate and rely on our residents and businesses to be our eyes and ears, as our officers cannot be everywhere at all times.”
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Novick said the incidents in the area have been going on for awhile, and blamed the city's 5 a.m. bar closing time as a contributor to the problem.
"No other city in America would tolerate [this]," Novick said. "Right now, Ocean Drive attracts a spring break mentality all year round."
