Alleged Driver of Stolen Ferrari Crashes Into Utility Pole During Police Pursuit in Miami
A reported-stolen Ferrari crashed into a utility pole in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood early Tuesday, December 16, 2025, after police attempted to stop the vehicle, according to Miami police and multiple local news reports.
The incident unfolded after authorities received information that a Ferrari reported stolen from Miami Beach was transmitting a location signal in the Miami area. Police eventually located the vehicle in Brickell and said officers saw an individual get inside and drive away.
According to investigators, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Instead of stopping, the driver allegedly accelerated away, leading to a brief pursuit.
Police said the Ferrari subsequently lost control, struck a Miami police cruiser and then slammed into a utility pole along Southwest Second Avenue. Surveillance footage obtained by CBS Miami captured the moment of impact, showing the Ferrari collide with the pole before a burst of sparks filled the scene.
The impact broke the utility pole and damaged electrical infrastructure in the area. Local reports said the crash caused a power interruption affecting nearby residents and buildings.
Witnesses described hearing a loud impact and seeing the lights in nearby buildings change suddenly. Local 10 reported that utility crews were working at the scene after the crash, while police officers searched the surrounding area for the driver.
The Ferrari involved was identified by authorities as a 2024 Ferrari Purosangue, a high-performance luxury vehicle. The car was one of two luxury vehicles reported missing after being handed over to a transportation company for delivery.
According to Miami Beach police information cited by CBS Miami and Local 10, the two vehicles were a 2024 Ferrari Purosangue and a 2025 Rolls-Royce Cullinan. The vehicles were reportedly being transported after being picked up in Miami Beach. The intended recipient later contacted the owner after the vehicles failed to arrive.
The Rolls-Royce was later recovered elsewhere in Miami-Dade County, authorities said.
The Ferrari, meanwhile, was tracked to the Brickell area. Police said officers located it near Southwest Second Avenue and 17th Street before observing an individual enter the vehicle.
The pursuit ended only a short distance away when the Ferrari crashed.
Authorities later identified the alleged driver as 28-year-old Deshawn Prendergast, a New York man from the Bronx. Police said he left the damaged Ferrari and fled on foot after the crash.
Investigators searched the surrounding area and eventually located him in a nearby apartment building, according to CBS Miami. He was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital for treatment of a laceration before being booked into jail.
Prendergast faces several criminal charges related to the incident. CBS Miami reported charges including grand theft, fleeing and eluding police, leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving. Other local reports have similarly described charges related to vehicle theft and fleeing from officers.
However, the allegations have not gone uncontested.
After being released on bond, Prendergast publicly denied stealing the Ferrari and said he was innocent. NBC 6 and CBS Miami both reported his denial following his first court appearance.
That distinction is important because the police allegations and the defendant’s response represent different sides of an ongoing criminal case. An arrest or criminal charge is not a conviction, and the allegations must ultimately be resolved through the court system.
The crash itself was documented from multiple perspectives.
CBS Miami published surveillance footage showing the Ferrari approaching the utility pole before the collision. The video shows the pole breaking during the impact, followed by a bright flash and sparks. A separate video distributed through Storyful also shows the crash and credits footage to Michael Camacho.
ABC News also published video of the incident, describing how the Ferrari crashed into the utility pole after being involved in a collision with a police cruiser.
The incident caused significant damage to the Ferrari and the utility infrastructure, but authorities reported no other injuries in the immediate aftermath.
The case also highlights the unusual circumstances surrounding the original disappearance of the luxury vehicles. Police said the cars had been placed in the hands of a third-party transportation company, which was expected to deliver them to another business. The vehicles did not arrive as expected, prompting the owner to contact authorities.
From there, investigators were able to track the Ferrari to Miami and eventually locate it in Brickell.
The crash occurred early Tuesday morning in Miami, which corresponds to Tuesday, December 16, 2025, in Cambodia. Because reliable reports reviewed for this article do not establish the exact minute of the crash, no precise Cambodia-time timestamp is being assigned.
The criminal case against Prendergast remains separate from the physical evidence of the crash. Police and surveillance footage establish that the Ferrari crashed into the police cruiser and utility pole, while the allegations concerning who stole and drove the vehicle remain matters for the legal process.
For news coverage, the most accurate description is therefore that police accused Prendergast of stealing and fleeing in the Ferrari, while Prendergast denied the allegations.
