MIAMI – A man who worked at his family’s South Florida car dealership could face more than a decade in federal prison after a jury convicted him of carjacking a customer, officials with the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday.
Prosecutors said the whole thing stemmed from an autopay issue that caused the victim to miss a loan payment on a 2020 Honda Accord.
The Miami federal jury convicted Erik Hadad, 58, of Aventura, on Tuesday, a DOJ news release states. Hadad worked at Guru Auto Sales, which was located at 2690 S. State Road 7 in Miramar. The business is listed on Google as “permanently closed.”
Authorities said the victim, a 24-year-old Haitian immigrant, bought the car from Guru in October 2023 and was not given a copy of the sales paperwork he signed.
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“In making the purchase, the victim understood that he was paying a finance company,” the news release. “What the victim was not aware of was that there was an agreement between the finance company and Guru, and if the victim was late on a payment within the first two months of the loan, then the finance company could demand the approximately $13,800 it paid for the loan back from the dealership.”
Prosecutors continued, “That part of the agreement mattered because the victim’s first payment bounced after he set up autopay, with the victim paying the first installment late and with a late fee in late November 2023.”
Authorities said because of that, the finance company sent Guru a letter on Dec. 14, 2023, saying that the dealership needed to buy the loan back and owed about $13,000.
Prosecutors said the carjacking occurred five days later, even though the victim “was current on his account that day” and the dealership “was expressly told they couldn’t repossess the car.”
Nevertheless, authorities said Hadad followed the victim in a BMW near Miami International Airport.
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Prosecutors said when the victim reached a red light at Le Jeune Road and Northwest 31st Street, “Hadad, whom the victim had never met before, got out of the black BMW in the middle of the intersection and approached the victim’s Honda, ripping off the paper temporary tag and aggressively yelling at the victim to get out of the car.”
“The victim was able to get away when the light turned green, but Hadad eventually caught up to the victim” at the MIA Tri-Rail station, authorities said, and Hadad “continued aggressively screaming for the victim to get out of the car.”
“Hadad lifted his shirt to reveal that he had a gun holstered in his waistband, which led the victim to surrender his keys,” the news release states.
The victim, “in shock,” called Miami-Dade police, who arrested Hadad, initially on state charges, and located the gun. The case later became federal as the Honda was, according to a federal indictment, “transported, shipped and received in interstate and foreign commerce.”
Hadad, an Israeli national, is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, prosecutors said.
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According to the federal carjacking statute, Hadad could spend up to 15 years behind bars.
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Video shows bright orange flames still burning at a warehouse in Northwest Miami-Dade on Friday, almost 24 hours after crews first responded.
The flames broke out before 11 a.m. Thursday, sending towers of thick black smoke into the sky, and crews have been attempting to put the fire out since.
Officials said the structure located just east of Red Road and south of Florida’s Turnpike Extension is more than twice the size of a Costco warehouse and contains hazardous materials inside.
More than 200 firefighters from both Broward and Miami-Dade counties have been fighting the blaze, which officials say could burn for days.
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The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Lives spared, livelihoods lost
Miami-Dade Deputy Fire Chief Danny Cardeso said no injuries were reported.
The driver of an 18-wheeler told NBC6 he was at the warehouse, which stores inventory for shipments, when the fire alarm went off.
He said everyone immediately evacuated, no one was hurt, and everyone inside was accounted for. Still, some workers and business owners fear they lost their livelihoods.
Benny Monción, who owns DBenny Sazón, one of the food trucks parked at the facility, was in tears when she spoke to NBC6 at the scene.
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She said a friend of hers who also owns a food truck called to tell her how he fared.
“He called me just now, we were watching the news, and my truck was still intact, but his, the fire got it,” she said, her voice breaking as she put her head in her hand. “It burned it all up.”
She said she wasn’t sure what had happened to her truck, which normally operates on 50 North University Drive in Pembroke Pines, as the fire raged.
“I ask God that mine at least can be OK, but I feel so bad [that his didn’t make it], because these are hardworking people, looking to earn their daily living that in this country is too hard,” Monción said. “It’s so many things.”
Air quality concerns
A public safety alert was issued at one point Thursday due to the heavy smoke. The alert recommended those with respiratory problems and medical conditions to shelter in place if possible.
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Dr. Donny Perez, a medical director at Memorial Regional Hospital South, said fires like this can send fine particles into the air that can irritate the lungs and cause coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, sore throat, chest pain and palpitations.
“Even their eyes can get irritated, the sore throat. So the best thing is to stay indoors with the windows closed, avoid outdoor exercise. Wear an N-95 mask if you must go outside. Use your rescue inhalers as prescribed if you do have lung disease,” he said.
Resident Gloria Downey said the smoke was concerning, especially with the uncertainty about what materials could be burning.
“I mean I don’t know what’s in that building, but I have lived here since before that building was built off and on, and God knows what’s in there,” she said. “We have the house completely sealed. We have air filters running in both rooms. The air condition is off. It’s a little hot in Miami, but we’ll be all right.”
Drought and wind may hinder firefight
Winds on Friday are blowing consistently at 10-20 mph toward the northwest, pushing the smoke over a nearby landfill and out over the Everglades.
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“Just a couple of spotty little showers here, not enough to really help with the fire,” NBC6’s meteorologist Adam Berg said. “But the winds certainly don’t help.”
Traffic impacts
Officials asked people to avoid the area while they worked to put out the fire. Northwest 47th Avenue is closed between Honey Hill Drive (Northwest 199th Street) to Northwest 207th Drive.
A mother in Miami Gardens has been sentenced to five years of probation after her 2-year-old son accidentally shot himself with a gun he found in her purse.
According to police, the incident happened last summer at an apartment complex in Miami Gardens. Authorities say the toddler grabbed his mother’s firearm from her purse and accidentally pulled the trigger, shooting himself in the leg.
Video captured at the scene showed the child being rushed to the hospital on a stretcher. The boy survived and has since fully recovered.
The child’s mother, 35-year-old Christina Monique Doyle, was arrested and charged with child neglect and culpable negligence for allowing easy access to the weapon. Prosecutors said those charges carried a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
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During a court hearing, the presiding judge, Alberto Milian, emphasized the responsibility that comes with gun ownership.
“I am a very pro-gun person, but along with the right and the privilege of having a gun comes responsibilities,” Milian said.
Doyle ultimately accepted a plea deal where she pleaded no contest, allowing her to avoid jail time. Instead, she was sentenced to five years of probation.
Her attorney, Dustin Tischler, said Doyle has no prior criminal record and described the incident as a mistake.
“She’s 35 years old, never been in trouble whatsoever in her life,” Tischler said. “She’s a very good mother, a very caring mother to several children. This has been a nightmare, and she’s happy to get it behind her.”
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Tischler also said the case should serve as a warning to gun owners about keeping firearms secure around children.
“Even though she had it in her purse and thought it was secure, the child was able to get to it when she was distracted,” he said. “If you have a firearm, it’s important to keep it locked away.”
Tischler said Doyle has completed a parenting program through the Florida Department of Children and Families and how she is allowed to have contact with her children, including her son who is now doing well after recovering from the injury.
NBC6 reached out to DCF about the case but we haven’t heard back yet.
Miami’s own pays tribute to former teacher on SNL Miami’s own Marcello Hernandez brought a piece of home to SNL for his latest performance, giving a tribute to his hometown and a special teacher in that classic Miami accent.
NEW YORK CITY — Miami’s own Marcello Hernandez brought a piece of home to SNL for his latest performance, giving a tribute to his hometown and a special teacher in that classic Miami accent.
During his performance, Hernandez definitely brought the character of “Mr. Fronzi” to life.
The over-the-top teacher with a big heart was a character inspired by his real-life theology teacher at Miami-Dade’s private Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, Angie Fernandez.
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And Hernandez even flew her up to New York City to see the skit live in person.
“When I saw the skit, I was flabbergasted. I laughed from here to eternity. It was so good,” Fernandez said. “I am so honored that he chose to imitate me. That’s the best compliment you can give somebody!”
Fernandez said that while Hernandez drove her crazy in her classroom, he was also always humble, honest and she calls him one of her favorite students.
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Jenise Fernandez
Jenise Fernandez is a six-time Emmy award winning anchor and reporter at Local 10 News. Currently, she anchors the 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. news, Monday through Friday.
