Internal Documents Reveal Miami Officer's Suspension Over Fatal 2023 High-Speed Chase

The officer's profile shows that he had been disciplined previously over another allegedly improper high-speed chase.

August 22, 2024

Miami police officer Luis Quesada was suspended and reprimanded over a March 2023 fatal high-speed pursuit. Screenshot via NBC6

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A Miami police officer received a 400-hour suspension and reprimand for a high-speed chase that killed a 64-year-old delivery driver last year, according to his disciplinary profile.

On March 31, 2023, officer Luis Quesada sped through a stop sign in an unmarked police vehicle, crashing into Angel Morales' box truck as he was approaching the intersection, according to a crash report. The COD Supplies delivery truck spun 180 degrees and flipped onto its side. Morales was pronounced dead at the scene in Allapattah.

The crash report notes that Quesada exceeded the posted speed limit and failed to yield the right of way.

The Miami Police Department's investigation into the crash found that Quesada engaged in "conduct unbecoming of a sworn or civilian employee," a disciplinary profile obtained by New Times shows. The department signed off on his suspension in March 2024.

Last October, the officer agreed to a plea deal for a careless driving violation, avoiding criminal charges for the crash.

Morales' wife Melba Morales recently filed a lawsuit against the city, Quesada, and a fellow police officer who was a passenger in Quesada's vehicle at the time of the crash. She's demanding damages on counts of negligence, wrongful death, due process violation, and municipal liability.

"The police officer defendants initiated an improper vehicle pursuit with speeds approaching or exceeding three times the speed limit and ran a stop sign at high speeds on a busy residential road, which pursuit was initiated and continued based upon alleged mere traffic violations," the complaint alleges.

The disciplinary profile shows that Quesada was suspended in 2019 over another allegedly improper chase.

According to the investigation summary, Quesada tried to arrest an individual in a reported stolen vehicle when the person refused to comply and drove off.

The officer then announced on the police radio "that he had an attempted assault on a police officer" and was pursuing the vehicle, which ended up crashing into other unoccupied cars. However, a subsequent review of Quesada's body-worn camera revealed that the driver "did not try to make contact with the officer and did not commit a violent felony," the disciplinary summary states.

The Miami Police Department generally bars police from pursuing fleeing suspects unless they are "violent felony offenders."

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Naomi Feinstein is a staff writer of Miami New Times where she primarily focuses on news. Naomi started her career with New Times as an intern from June–August 2019, then worked as a fellow from August 2022 to February 2023 before joining the staff full-time. She graduated from University of Miami where she contributed to the student-run newspaper, The Miami Hurricane. She holds a master’s degree and graduated with honors from the Columbia School of Journalism. In 2021, Naomi was recognized as the College Journalist of the Year from the Society of Professional Journalists of Florida, and she placed second for Best General News Story in the 2021 Pinnacle Awards.

Contact: Naomi Feinstein

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