Miami-Dade County

Woman facing multiple charges in Miami-Dade chase that ended with her jumping into water

Melina Logan allegedly stole a Honda during a test drive, leading to the chase and crash

NBC Universal, Inc.

A woman who jumped into a waterway to try to flee from authorities after a high-speed chase in Miami-Dade that ended in a crash is facing multiple charges, authorities said.

The incident unfolded Thursday afternoon when the woman, 27-year-old Melina Logan, went to Honda of South Miami to test drive a new Honda Civic, according to an arrest report released Friday.

As the salesperson exited the Honda, Logan took off in the car, the report said.

A "Be On The Lookout" was issued and the car was later spotted on the Palmetto Expressway around 2 p.m.

Miami-Dade Police and Florida Highway Patrol responded and Logan refused to stop, leading to the pursuit, the report said.

Logan was driving recklessly and reaching speeds of around 90 mph as she traveled southbound on the Palmetto, making aggressive lane changes amid heavy traffic and using the shoulder to pass vehicles, the report said.

A suspect had to be rescued by officers after she jumped into a pond following a police pursuit of a stolen car in Miami-Dade. NBC6's Jamie Guirola reports

The Honda approached standstill traffic near the Northwest 25th Street off-ramp and Logan lost control, crashing into several civilian vehicles, the report said.

The car became disabled and pinned against a concrete wall but Logan managed to get out and avoid officers, the report said.

That's when Logan got on top of the concrete ledge and jumped off the ramp and into a lake to try to flee from authorities, the report said.

Aerial footage from Chopper 6 showed the end of the chase and the woman in the water.

Officers threw ropes for her to grab, but she refused, so several officers jumped into the lake to take her out, the report said.

During a struggle, she scratched one Miami-Dade officer and briefly pushed a Doral officer underwater, the report said.

The officers were able to eventually get her to the ledge and take her out of the water.

Melina Logan
Miami-Dade Corrections
Melina Logan

Witness Rosy Daniel watched the whole thing unfold while having lunch during her work day.

"I was actually shocked, I thought like I was in a movie, the Will Smith movie but live action, that's what I thought as I was witnessing that, or Grand Theft Auto, just not my typical work day," Daniel said.

Logan, of North Carolina, was booked into jail on several charges including grand theft of a vehicle, two counts of battery on a police officer, fleeing and eluding police, leaving the scene of a crash, and resisting an officer.

One of the drivers suffered injuries in the crash at the end of the chase and had to be hospitalized, the report said.

Contact Us