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. Read more at BocaVibe.com.
According to authorities, Angel Benitez, 27, was stopped by Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies on April 12 around midnight. The deputies were conducting a traffic stop when they noticed Benitez acting suspiciously. They asked him for his license and registration, but he allegedly refused to produce them.
Deputies then called for backup and attempted to detain Benitez. However, the suspect claimed to be a firefighter and said he was on his way to respond to an emergency call. He also allegedly told deputies that he had been working non-stop for 24 hours without sleep.
Charges Filed Against Benitez
Bienitz was arrested and charged with obstructing an officer, resisting arrest, and providing false information to law enforcement.
- Obstructing an Officer: This charge is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
- Resisting Arrest: This charge is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
- Providing False Information to Law Enforcement: This charge is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
Bienitz was transported to the Palm Beach County Jail and held on $10,000 bond. He is expected to appear in court on April 26 for his arraignment.
Fire Department Response
The Boca Raton Fire Department released a statement saying they were not aware of Benitez’s arrest and that he was not a member of the department.
“We take incidents like this very seriously, and we will cooperate fully with law enforcement to ensure public safety,” said a spokesperson for the fire department. “However, we also want to remind the public that only authorized personnel should claim to be firefighters in emergency situations.”
Official city info: City of Boca Raton.
Source: Original Report