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Watch: Citizens take law enforcement into their own hands after witnessing a reported hit-and-run
Image source: TheBlaze

Watch: Citizens take law enforcement into their own hands after witnessing a reported hit-and-run

Good Samaritans in Miami surrounded a car that had reportedly plowed into several vehicles in a hit-and-run incident in what appeared to be an attempt to prevent the suspect from fleeing the scene again.

One of the citizens even pulled out a sledgehammer and began swinging away at the suspect's smashed-up vehicle.

What are the details?

The Miami Herald reported that the incident unfolded on Sunday when the suspect, 25-year-old Maxwell Lagutenko, reportedly crossed a median while traveling north on a busy boulevard and struck a vehicle in the intersection of the boulevard's southbound lane.

Despite striking the first car, the suspect reportedly continued driving and plowed into two more vehicles in his way.

After Lagutenko reportedly struck the third vehicle, drivers began getting out of their own cars to assess what was happening, and some began filming.

In a video obtained by the Herald, the suspect can be seen attempting to maneuver his car out of the intersection, narrowly avoiding hitting pedestrians in the road.

Two passers-by approach the vehicle and attempt to block the car from speeding off.

Lagutenko is able to navigate around the pedestrians and continue up the road, where he makes a right-hand turn.

After making the turn, the car is almost immediately blocked in by drivers who had stopped their cars haphazardly in the road in what appears to be a response to the suspect's erratic driving.

Several motorists and pedestrians can be seen in the video converging on Lagutenko's car as it sits blocked in.

In the video, some people banged on the car's windows and tried to open the doors, presumably to force him to surrender his vehicle. Then another man pulls a sledgehammer out of a minivan and begins smashing the car and its windows.

(Image source: Miami Herald Video screenshot)

Despite being surrounded by people waving fists — and a man waving a sledgehammer — Lagutenko is able to work his way around the car stopped in front of him and escape once more. That's when the video cuts off.

According to the Herald:

Police say he headed north on Federal Highway, refusing to stop for a patrol car at 48th Street. Miami police cut off pursuit in accordance with department policy on non-violent crimes. The report is unclear on how Miami Fire Rescue 6 wound up with Lagutenko, who was identified as the driver when brought back to the scene of the accident.

Anything else?

The Herald reported that Lagutenko, as of Monday afternoon, remained in Miami-Dade County Jail on charges of fleeing and eluding a police officer. He also received citations for leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving.

According to the outlet, these latest traffic citations are Lagutenko's 19th and 20th infractions in the county in the last eight years.

Lagutenko also appeared to be under the influence of narcotics during the hit-and-run incident, according to the Herald.

The Herald reported that the man wielding the sledgehammer was not arrested, nor was he ticketed for any offense.

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