A Miami woman was captured on video fighting with a man who allegedly rammed her car and stole her wallet, NBC6 reported.
A chase near Miami resulted in a traffic crash and a physical confrontation after a woman chased a man she claimed stole her wallet. according to Go to NBC6. Miurel Vargas, 26, a powerlifter, was driving a black car when he spotted the theft suspect. She was so focused on getting her purse out that she ended up colliding with an oncoming car.
“I didn’t think about the consequences because I had so much adrenaline inside me,” Vargas told NBC6.
Despite the collision, Miurel Vargas quickly got out of his car and, undeterred, confronted the suspect on the sidewalk, the newspaper reported. The video showed Vargas catching up with the man, identified as Luis Machado, 41, and after a brief struggle, he recovered his bag. Vargas said she feared for her safety during the altercation.
Woman caught on video punching man after allegedly stealing wallet in Wynwood: ‘It was either me or him’ https://t.co/JbB7soTOnL
— CBS News Miami (@CBSMiami) May 6, 2024
“He put his hands behind his back. So I thought he was going to pull out a knife or a gun. That’s when I started punching him,” Vargas said, NBC6 reported. “He was screaming that it wasn’t my bag and that I was crazy.” (Related: Video of New Mexico State Police chasing suspected thief on horseback)
Police arrived shortly after the scuffle and arrested Machado, who suffered a black wound to his eye during the confrontation. Machado is charged with robbery, criminal mischief and petty theft. Machado is accused of breaking into Vargas’ car while she was at work and stealing her bag and wallet. According to her arrest report, he admitted to possessing some of her items, but she denied breaking into her car, according to NBC6.
For Vargas, the confrontation was about more than just recovering stolen property. “I had a picture of her mother in my wallet, and her mother died eight years ago,” she said, the newspaper reported. “So it was an emotional value for me that needed to be restored. That’s why I did it.”
Vargas was ticketed for his role in the accident, but expressed remorse, especially for the other drivers involved. “I just want to say I’m sorry to the person I bumped into,” she said, according to NBC6. She said: “She gave me a hug. She was very kind. She just wants to say she’s sorry.”
