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iSurger, patron's beef.
with cop leads to jail
' �• ., BY RACHEL L SWARMS
patrol car. He wasn't wearing
� Herald Statf Writes
a uniform. Why should he
._{. The battle started at the
move for someone who .
+-r Wendy's drive -through in East
claimed to be a policeman?
Little Havana, two cars vying
Seconds later, Arias flashed
for the same place in line.
a badge, radioed for backup, ,
George Arias edged in.
and arrested Salazar with the
Manuel Salazar thought he
help of at least six other
`
was there first. They warred in .
Miami police officers. Salazar,
'
silence, cars inching closer and
24, spent 23 hours in the Dade
closer until it was clear some.
County Jail. Charges: disor-
f
one would have to give,
derly conduct, battery on a
x
Tempers boiled and curses
police officer and resisting ,
:flew until Arias gave Salazar
arrest without violence.
Tw CHAPMAN / Mlaff t Harald Staff an ultimatum: You move your
car because I'm a cop.
"All I wanted was a cheese -
burger," Salazar said Friday.
Salazar looked him up and
front of drive-in. down. Arias wasn't.driving a
PLEASESEE OFFICER, 40,
Burger customer's beef with cep lands him in jail
OFFICER. FROM 18
"They were acting like f killed
somebody."
Arias, a 45-year-old sergeant.
was off -duty when the confronta-
tion took place Tuesday at 1:30
p.m, at the Wendy's at 200 SW
Eighth Street. In a written report,
he says Salazar shoved him and
slammed a car door into Arias'
car.
Salazar said he never shoved
Arias. He said Arias tried to take
his keys from the ignition, and
Salazar pushed his hand away.
He says he ran when the officer
grabbed him by the neck.
Witnesses who ate at the res.
taurant support Salazar's ver-
sion. They say they never saw
Salazar strike Arias. They say
Arias grabbed Salazar around the
neck and hit him in the stomach
--- all for a spot in the drive -
through line.
At least four witnesses have
given statements to the Miami
Police Department's internal
affairs office, complaining about
how Arias handled the Wendy's
situation. It isn't the first time
someone has complained about
him.
Three years ago, Arias blew up
at a citizen who was trying to file
a complaint against one of his
officers. Arias never reported the
complaint to internal affairs. He
told the caller he could be
arrested for lodging the com-
plaint.
The police department ordered
him fired, but Arias successfully
appealed that decision before the
City s Civil Service Board. He is
currently on active duty, a police
spokesman said. Internal affairs
officers would not confirm or
deny reports that they were
investigating the Wendy's inci-
dent.
Arias, a 16-year-veteran of the
department, did not return a call
for comment. His personnel file
shows he has received high marks
from his supervisors for being
self -motivated, cooperative, and
disciplined. His co-workers call
him a "policeman's policeman."
an officer who always stands up
for his men.
Salazar, who moved to Miami
from Peru a few years ago. was
arrested once before. In 1989, a
judge withheld adjudication for a
misdemeanor charge of loitering
and ordered him to pay a fine.
On Friday_ a day after his
release from jail, Salazar said he
couldn't believe he might end up
in prison over a'dispute•f'or a
place in line.
"1 didn't want any trouble," he
said. "He should have just let me
buy my sandwich. ii was first in
fine." . . .
Ana con Policfa,
por puesto en cola
acaba en prisio'n
Acusado dice Ileg6 primero
roc "CHEK 1. SWARMS
-edacror de El Nuevo Herald
La batalla comenz6 en la entrada de entrega para
au � ,ovitistas de Wendy's en La Pequetfia Habana,
co is carros que rivalizaban por conseguir el
mismo' Lugar on la fits. George Arias se meti6.
Manuel Salazar pens6 que iba primero. Lucha-
ran on silencio,
con los • autos Y
acercindose put-
xada a pulgada t`
iasta que qued6 s
:taro que alguien
.endria que ceder.
Los Animos se
:aidearon y vola-
on las maldicio-
Les hasta que
krias to dio a
;alazar .un ulti-`
nAtum: Usted
nueve su carro
rori yo soy un
solr
Sfill7nr to mir6 Salazar: pugna par 'cola'.
e arriba a abojo.
►rias no estaba manejando un carro patrullero. No
evaba puesto uniforme. LPor qu6 tenia que qui-
irse ante alguien que afirmaba ser policia7
Segundos mhs tarde, Arias le mostr6 una placa,
idi6 refuerzo por radio y arrest6 a Salazar con la
yuds de por to menos otros seis agente.s de la poli-
ia de Miami. Salazar, de 24 aftos, pas6 23 horas en
cArcel del condado de Dade. Las acusaciones:
mducta desordenada, asalto a un agente de la
otitis y resistencia sin violencia a un arresto.
"Todo to que queria era una hamburguesa con
ueso", dijo Salazar el viernes. "Actuaban como si
Ntw `re H C I,4--b
C-C
—NOTICLNS
Rinw a en Wendy's acaba en cartel
wEmDre. DE1A
yo hubiera matado a
alguien".
Arias, de 45 ahos, no estaba de
servicio cuando se produjo la
confrontaci6n of martes a Las
T . i 1:30 p.m., on el Wendy's
situado en la 200 SW de la Calle
' Qcho. En un informe escrito, dijo
que Salazar to empuj6, y empuj6
• tambitn una puerta del carro
contra el'carro de Arias..
Salazar expres6 que nunca
empuj6 a Arias. Dijo que Arias
trat6 de sacar las haves del inter-
ruptor del arranque, y que tl to
quit6 las manor. Agreg6 que sali6
corriendo cuando el agente to
agarr6 por el cueilo.
Los testigos que comian en el
} restaurante apoyan la versi6n do
Salazar. Dicen que nunca vieron
a Salazar golpear a Arias, y que
Arias agarr6 a Salazar por el cue -
Ito y to golpe6 en el est6mago,
todo por un sitio on la fila de
entrega.
Por to menos cuatro testigos
han prestado declaraci6n ante la
oficina de asuntos internos del
Departamento de Policia de
Miami, quejindose de la forma
on que Arias manej6 la situaci6n
on Wendy's. Este no es la pri-
mers vex quo alguien se queja de
a-
Hace Tres atlos, Arias tuvo una
explosi6n de ire contra un ciuda-
le
Todo to que queria
era una
hamburguesa con
queso... Actuaban
como si yo hubiera
matado a alguien 9.
MANUELSALAZAR
Dlsputa
dano que trataba do presentar
una queja contra una do sus
agentes. Arias nunca inform6 de
la queja a la ofrcina de asuntos
internos. Le dijo a la persona que
llam6 quo podia ser arrestada por
presentar la queja.
El Departamento de Policia
orden6 que to despidieran, pero
Arias ape16 con exito esa deci-
si6n ante la Junta do Servieios
Civiles. Actualmentc estd en ser-
vicio activo, dijo un portavoz de
la Policia. Los agontes de asuntos i
internos no quisieron confirmar
ni new los informes de qque esta-
ban investigando el incidente de
Wendy's.
Arias, veterano con 16 ahos en
el departamento, no devolvi6
una liamada pars que ofmciera
comentarios. Su expediente per-
sonal muestra que ha recibido
altas ealificaciones do SUS super-
visores por ser un individuo
motivado, cooperativo y discipli-
nado. Sus colegas to liaman
"Policia de policias", un agente
quo siempre defrende a sus hom-
bres.
Salazar, quien se mud6 do Perii
a Miami hate unos aflos, fue
arrestado on una ocasi6n ante-
rior. En 1494, un juez retuvo la
sentencia por una acusaci6n del
delito menor de tirar basura y le
orden6 pagar una multa.
El viernes, un dia desputs de
ser tiberado do is c>irc el, Salazar
dijo que no podia Greer que
hubiera terminado en prisi6n a
cause do una disputa por un lugar
en la frla.
"Yo no queria ningOn pro-
blema", dijo. "Debi6 haberme
dejado comprar mi sandwich .
Yo estaba pnmero on to Lila".
YEA WENDrg, 2A 'r
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