Miami, FL : Driver charged with DUI in chain reaction wreck on Southwest Eighth Street on Tuesday night, January 26, 2016

A driver was taken into custody and charged with DUI after a multi-car collision in Miami sent a police officer to the hospital, Tuesday night.

According to officials, 33-year-old David Merini was heading eastbound on Southwest Eighth Street when he coasted through several traffic lights and then drifted into oncoming traffic. Traffic camera video captures Merini's vehicle rear-ending a Honda Element near the intersection with Southwest 32nd Avenue, just before 8 p.m. The Element is then seen striking a Miami-Dade Police vehicle.

Merini said he panicked after the brakes on his vehicle failed to respond. "I couldn't stop," he said. "The brakes wouldn't work, and then the car hit me. I was really scared. Really scared and nervous. I panicked a lot."

Merini said he then climbed out of his overturned Chevy and ran into a nearby restaurant. "I just came into the restaurant, came straight into the restaurant, nervous, scared," he said.

The officer was transported to an area hospital, where he is expected to be OK. One other person was also transported to be checked out.

"The marked police vehicle that you see behind us, he was second in line when the light was red," said Miami-Dade Police Detective Alvaro Zabaleta. "Once it turned green is when this vehicle came and went into the oncoming traffic opposite lanes. When it went onto its side, it continued to travel on its side, impacting the Element that's right behind us, and then the Element was pushed back into the marked police vehicle."

Miami-Dade Police put Merini through a field sobriety test in the middle of Southwest Eighth Street before he was taken to a police station for further evaluation. He was then arrested and charged with DUI.

Source :

Driver charged with DUI in chain reaction wreck