Two males exited a cab early Monday morning near the Mahoney-Pearson dorms without paying their $35 fare, according to a Coral Gables Police report.
One of the accused, Mark Daniel Andersen, is said to have slipped on wet pavement before being confronted by the driver, Juan Francisco Chibas. Police were not able to find the other suspect who ran from the cab.
Chibas, a Yellow Cab driver, told The Miami Hurricane after the incident that the two passengers were coming back from South Beach.
The incident report claims the following:
Witnesses said that Chibas, 33, chased after Andersen, 21, and grabbed him by the jersey. The two struggled before Andersen, who is from Palos Park, Ill., pushed Chibas to the ground. He is not a UM student nor affiliated with the university, according to the report.
When officers arrived, they said that Andersen had Chibas in a chokehold, screaming: “I don’t owe you anything” and “I’m not going to give you my money.” They then told Andersen to get off Chibas, with one officer drawing a Taser, and told him to get on the ground.
Andersen eventually complied and the other officer then handcuffed and arrested him.
The arresting officers said in the report that Andersen had a “strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his person and his breath,” also noting that he had slurred speech, a flushed face and red, watery eyes with dilated pupils.
UMPD took Andersen in to custody after two UM officers subdued him. He was then transferred to CGPD custody on the scene.
Andersen was charged with battery and petty theft, both are misdemeanors.
After being transported to the CGPD station for processing, the police report says Andersen complained of a possible broken thumb-which they said likely resulted after he slipped or struggled with Chibas-and was given an icepack by the Coral Gables Fire Service.
The Miami-Dade clerk of courts online records say that a surety bond was issued on Monday and Andersen is no longer in custody. A surety bond is a written promise to pay damages or to indemnify against losses caused by the party or parties named in the document, through nonperformance or through defalcation, according to the Delaware state court web site. Surety bonds also include fidelity bonds covering government officials and employees.
Police on the scene said that the other suspect, last seen running west as he fled the scene, would be charged with petty theft. The incident report described him as a white male with dark hair, wearing a blue jersey and black plants.
Police believe that he is a UM student who probably lives in Mahoney or Pearson Residential College. The also believe he is from Illinois after Andersen received “non-stop calls” from a number an Illinois area code.
Attempts to contact Chibas were unsuccessful.
Matthew Bunch contributed to this report.
Greg Linch may be contacted at g.linch@umiami.edu.