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, according to authorities. Read more at BocaVibe.com.
- According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were conducting a traffic stop on a vehicle suspected of driving under the influence when they encountered Benitez, who claimed he was a firefighter with the City of West Palm Beach Fire Department.
- Benitez allegedly stated that he was on his way to respond to an emergency call and asked the deputies not to detain him. However, when deputies asked for his ID and badge number, Benitez claimed he had left them in his vehicle.
Deputies became suspicious of Benitez’s story and decided to conduct a further investigation. They discovered that there was no record of a firefighter with the City of West Palm Beach Fire Department by the name of Angel Benitez.
- The deputies then asked Benitez for his ID again, this time producing it from his wallet. The ID revealed that Benitez was actually a resident of West Palm Beach and had no affiliation with the fire department.
- Benitez was subsequently arrested and charged with interfering with a DUI investigation, resisting arrest, and providing false information to law enforcement.
The incident highlights the importance of honesty when interacting with law enforcement. Deputies emphasized that anyone who attempts to deceive or mislead them during an investigation will face serious consequences.
- Benitez is currently being held at the Palm Beach County Jail on a $5,000 bond. He is expected to appear in court later this month to answer to the charges against him.
The City of West Palm Beach Fire Department has also released a statement condemning Benitez’s actions and assuring the public that they take incidents like this very seriously.
Official city info: City of Boca Raton.
Source: Original Report