A high-speed police pursuit ended in tragedy Sunday night when a stolen van plunged into a Fort Lauderdale canal, killing a female passenger and resulting in the arrest of the driver on charges including felony murder and aggravated assault on law enforcement, says the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO).
According to the authorities, Michael Malik Harvey was spotted driving recklessly in the 4000 block of Southwest 33rd Avenue in West Park around 7:25 p.m.
A BSO deputy checked the vehicle’s tag and saw that the white GMC van was reported stolen out of Miami-Dade County.
BSO said when the deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop, Harvey allegedly struck the deputy’s vehicle and fled. The deputy stayed on scene, according to BSO.
BSO said Harvey then attempted to strike a Pembroke Park Police vehicle, “forcing the officer to take evasive action to avoid being struck” on West Hallandale Beach Boulevard.
A multi-agency pursuit began based on the aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.
BSO said Harvey drove the stolen van into the Yacht Haven RV Park and Marina in the 2300 block of State Road 84 in Fort Lauderdale. Harvey allegedly crashed the van through the metal exit gate driving the wrong way, before he crashed into a canal.
“It happened just in a flash,” said James Bardwell.
Bardwell is staying at the RV park and saw the moment the van raced in just before 8 p.m.
“The van came through with the police behind him and he went between the two pilings down there and into the water,” Bardwell said. “There was a guy up on top of the water and the van sank pretty fast, so the cops dove got the guy pulled him out and immediately stared doing CPR on him.”
BSO said Harvey was removed from the water and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
According to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue, his injuries were described as ‘near drowning.’ He told police there was someone else in the van, and divers jumped in and rescued a woman.
“The divers went in probably 15-20 minutes after the van went underwater,” Bardwell said.
The woman, who was a passenger in the van, was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead. BSO has not released her identity.
“That must have been a hard hit to go through that metal gate,” said Joan Beers.
Beers and her husband, Rick, locked the doors of their RV when they heard the BSO chopper overhead and saw the spotlight shining down.
“It was kind of surreal that it happened right here in front of our eyes,” said Bardwell.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) is investigating the in-custody death portion of the incident.
BSO said that detectives are also investigating the original incident that began in West Park and the homicide of the unidentified female.
Harvey was arrested and is facing several charges, including felony murder, aggravated fleeing and eluding causing death, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and leaving the scene of a crash involving an occupied vehicle.
Management with Yacht Haven declined to comment.
