On September 24, 2026, Miami-Dade police apprehended a suspect following a vehicle pursuit that began with a carjacking at Palmetto Hospital in northwest Miami-Dade County, including the city of Hialeah.
The incident started when a man who had been taken to Palmetto Hospital for a mental health evaluation escaped from the facility. While in the hospital parking lot, he seized a woman’s car, a black Nissan Sentra, and fled the scene.
Officers quickly responded and initiated a chase of the Sentra. Miami-Dade’s aerial unit, identified as Chopper 6, joined the pursuit, tracking the suspect as he drove through the surrounding area. The pursuit continued across multiple streets in Hialeah before officers were able to bring the vehicle to a stop and take the driver into custody.
The arrested individual is the sole suspect involved in the carjacking. Police confirmed that the suspect was under a mental health evaluation order at the time of the theft. No injuries were reported during the chase, and the woman whose vehicle was taken was not harmed. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the hospital escape and the subsequent theft.
The arrest concludes a rapid response by Miami-Dade law enforcement to a potentially dangerous situation that began in a medical facility’s parking lot. The department emphasized the importance of swift action when individuals under mental health orders attempt to flee, and the successful coordination between ground units and the aerial unit was noted as a factor in safely resolving the pursuit.