Authorities have identified the car thief responsible for a harrowing three-car collision, which included one vehicle plowing into a gym in Little Haiti. The incident occurred on Tuesday, October 3, as Ivan Gonzalez of Miami Beach attempted to evade law enforcement.
Gonzalez was reportedly behind the wheel of a stolen 2023 Red Hyundai Tucson when the chaotic multi-vehicle collision unfolded outside the premises of KO ZONE gym, located in Little Haiti. According to law enforcement officials, Gonzalez was attempting to outrun the police on NW 3rd Avenue. When he reached the intersection of NW 3rd Avenue and NW 54 Street, he recklessly sped through stop signs, leading to a catastrophic chain of events.
The stolen vehicle first collided with a 2020 Toyota RAV 4, causing it to overturn and subsequently strike another car, a 2018 Lexus NX 300. The severity of the impact left gymgoers within inches of where one of the vehicles struck the gym’s wall, causing significant damage.
Tomas Garcia, a trainer at the gym, recounted the horrifying experience, saying, “When I was walking by behind me, I hear the noise. And then, of course, the cars, and then I saw the wall breaking apart.”
The driver of the Toyota RAV 4 endured multiple facial fractures, rib fractures, and a pelvis fracture. Emergency responders rushed the injured driver to Jackson Memorial Hospital Ryder Trauma Center. Although the condition of the other driver involved in the crash was not disclosed, Ivan Gonzalez also required medical attention for injuries sustained in the collision.
Authorities revealed that Gonzalez’s driver’s license had been revoked on September 5, 2023, further highlighting his disregard for traffic laws and public safety.
Yeshimabet Milner, a local resident residing near the gym, recounted her experience of the incident, stating, “I’m so thankful that no one was killed. I ran outside, and I saw the car flipped over, a red car smashed in front, and someone I assume was the suspect handcuffed to the ground, yelling and screaming.”
The revelation that this incident stemmed from a police chase has left the community shaken, with Milner expressing her distress, saying, “To find out that it was a police chase was extremely terrifying.”
