Man Claims To Be Firefighter To Avoid Arrest, Fails

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. Read more at BocaVibe.com.

• Angel Benitez, 32, of West Palm Beach, was taken into custody just after midnight on April 12 at the intersection of Palmetto Park Road and North Federal Highway.
• The incident occurred when Deputy Brian R. Jones attempted to stop Benitez’s vehicle for suspected DUI.

According to authorities, Benitez allegedly refused to cooperate with the deputy and became agitated when asked to step out of the vehicle.

• Benitez then falsely claimed to be a firefighter from the Boca Raton Fire Department and provided a fake ID to support his claim.
• The deputy was not fooled by Benitez’s ruse and continued to detain him until backup arrived.

Benitez was charged with resisting arrest, obstructing an officer, and providing false information to law enforcement.

• Bail for Benitez was set at $5,000 and he is currently being held at the Palm Beach County Jail.
• The Boca Raton Fire Department has confirmed that Benitez is not a member of their department and has no affiliation with them.

Deputy Jones praised his colleagues for their professionalism and quick thinking in resolving the situation without incident.

• “It’s always a good day when we can resolve a situation like this without anyone getting hurt,” Deputy Jones said.
• “We’re proud of our officers for staying calm and doing their job, even in difficult situations.”

Official city info: City of Boca Raton.

Source: Original Report