Authorities said the arrest followed a traffic stop, a pursuit and a 24-hour search across northwest Miami-Dade.
HIALEAH, FL — A wanted federal fugitive was arrested Thursday outside a Walgreens in Hialeah after authorities said he fled twice from law enforcement during a multi-agency search that began with a traffic stop the day before.
The Florida Highway Patrol identified the man as 41-year-old Yam Brandy Perera Nunez. Troopers said he was taken into custody near West 68th Street and West 12th Avenue after officers found him at the pharmacy and moved in. The arrest ended a search that involved state troopers, Hialeah police, K-9 officers and federal agents. Officials said Perera Nunez faces several state charges, while questions remained about the full federal case that made him a wanted fugitive.
The search began Wednesday when FHP troopers tried to stop a white Dodge pickup truck traveling south on Okeechobee Road near Pembroke Road, investigators said. The driver refused to stop, leading troopers on a pursuit that later ended near Northwest 137th Avenue and Northwest 178th Street. Authorities said the driver bailed out of the truck and ran. A helicopter circled overhead while officers shut down roads, set up a perimeter and used a K-9 unit to search the area. Driver Gus Mirand said police blocked access while officers looked for someone. “The police, they don’t allow us to go back there because they were looking for somebody,” Mirand said.
By Thursday afternoon, authorities said they had tracked Perera Nunez to the Walgreens area in Hialeah. Video from the scene showed armed officers converging near the street as people nearby watched and recorded. Hialeah police said their K-9 unit helped FHP locate him and that he resisted arrest before officers used a Taser. The video showed him falling to the ground as multiple officers rushed in. Witnesses shouted as officers surrounded him, and one person was heard saying, “He’s running!” Another bystander reacted as officers moved on top of him. A Corvette was later towed from the scene, though officials did not immediately explain its connection to the case.
Authorities said Perera Nunez was facing charges including aggravated fleeing and eluding, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, resisting with violence and grand theft. Officials also said more charges could follow. FHP confirmed he was the same person sought after the Wednesday pursuit, but the agency had not released all details about the original reason troopers tried to stop the pickup. Federal records showed a case involving Perera Nunez filed in the Southern District of Florida in March. Local reports also said he had a prior arrest record dating back more than two decades, including past cases involving theft, burglary, drug trafficking and resisting arrest.
The chase caused delays for drivers in northwest Miami-Dade on Wednesday as officers searched around Okeechobee Road and Northwest 137th Avenue. Mirand said he had been told the wait would be about 30 minutes, but it lasted much longer. “The cops said you have to wait at least 30 minutes. That 30 minutes has been two hours already,” he said. The search zone stretched across a busy part of the county where industrial roads, open land and major traffic routes meet, making the response visible to commuters and nearby workers.
Hialeah police said they assisted FHP after the search moved into the city. The Department of Homeland Security also took part in the response, according to reports from the scene. Univision reported that law enforcement sources identified Perera Nunez as a Cuban man who had been deported in September 2025 and was sought after allegedly reentering the United States illegally. Authorities had not publicly released a full federal charging document by Thursday night, and it was not immediately clear whether Perera Nunez had an attorney who could comment on the allegations.
The arrest drew attention because of the forceful takedown captured on cellphone video. Footage showed officers rushing toward Perera Nunez after he went down, with several officers holding him as others stood nearby with long guns. Some video showed what appeared to be blood on his face after the fall. Officials did not immediately report serious injuries to officers or bystanders. The agencies involved had not announced whether the use of force would receive a separate review, which is common after arrests involving a Taser or visible injury.
Perera Nunez remained in custody after the Thursday arrest as state and federal authorities continued sorting through charges tied to the chase, the alleged resistance and the fugitive case. The next milestone is the filing of formal court records that will show which charges prosecutors pursue.
Author note: Last updated April 24, 2026.