An off-duty Hialeah police lieutenant ended up in handcuffs after an early-morning crash with a trash truck near Doral late last year, and newly released video is putting the arrest back in the spotlight.

Miami-Dade deputies were called to the scene around 6 a.m. on Dec. 30, 2025, at Northwest 72nd Avenue and 47th Street, where they found Lt. Erik Martin “unsteady on his feet, with (bloodshot) watery eyes and slurred speech,” and smelling of alcohol, according to Local 10. Deputies said Martin refused both field sobriety tests and a blood draw, was transported to Jackson West Medical Center for evaluation, and had his driver’s license seized under Florida’s implied-consent law.

Department response and chief’s statement

Hialeah Police confirmed that Martin was off duty at the time of the crash and has been placed on administrative leave while criminal and internal investigations move forward, the department told NBC6. Hialeah Police Chief George Fuente called the accusations “deeply disappointing” and said the department would make sure the lieutenant receives any necessary assistance as the case proceeds.

Charges and bond

Martin, 45, was booked on DUI and DUI causing damage to property or person, and records show he posted a $2,000 bond before his release, WSVN reported. The crash involved a Waste Management truck, NBC6 added, and deputies say Martin became belligerent with investigators before they placed him in handcuffs at the scene.

Potential penalties

Under Florida law, specifically Florida Statute §316.193, a DUI that causes property damage or a non-serious injury is charged as a first-degree misdemeanor, with potential penalties including up to one year in jail, fines and license suspension. The exact outcome will depend on what prosecutors can prove and whether there are any prior convictions.

The video, published April 21, 2026, has renewed attention on an incident that began on Dec. 30, 2025, and Local 10‘s footage highlights how quickly an off-duty crash can turn into criminal charges and an internal affairs probe. What happens next will be decided in court and in any disciplinary action by the Hialeah Police Department or the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.