By Boca Vibe
Man Claims To Be Firefighter To Avoid Arrest, Fails
A West Palm Beach man was arrested early Sunday morning after he allegedly interfered with a DUI investigation and falsely claimed to be a firefighter when deputies tried to detain him. Angel Benitez was taken into custody just after midnight on April 12. Read more at BocaVibe.com.
According to authorities, the incident occurred when Deputy Sheriff’s Office deputies were conducting a traffic stop in the area of Red River Drive and Southwest 5th Street.
The deputies reported that they had pulled over a vehicle for suspicion of driving under the influence. However, when they approached the driver, Angel Benitez, he allegedly became belligerent and claimed to be a firefighter with Boca Raton Fire Rescue Department.
Benitez’s claim was quickly debunked by authorities, who verified his identity through official records.
Despite this, Benitez continued to resist arrest and allegedly interfered with the deputies’ efforts to detain him. He was subsequently taken into custody without further incident.
- The arrest report stated that Benitez was cooperative during transport to the Palm Beach County Jail, but became agitated when asked about his identity.
- Benitez’s bond has been set at $2,500, and he is scheduled to appear in court on May 10th.
The Boca Raton Fire Rescue Department has released a statement confirming that Angel Benitez is not an employee of the department.
“We take incidents like this very seriously,” said a spokesperson for the department. “We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement agencies to ensure public safety and prevent similar incidents in the future.”
Benitez’s arrest serves as a reminder to residents of Boca Raton and surrounding areas to always be honest and cooperative when interacting with law enforcement.
“We urge everyone to respect the rights and authority of our deputies,” said a spokesperson for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. “Honesty and cooperation are key in preventing incidents like this from occurring.”
Official city info: City of Boca Raton.
Source: Original Report