- Avraham Gil, 19, was arrested Saturday in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
- He was released after his lawyer claimed diplomatic immunity
- The teen has a history of traffic violations and a sign that reads ‘PLSCHASE’
The teenage son of an Israeli diplomat was pictured sobbing in a mugshot after he was arrested for running over a police officer with his motorcycle.
Avraham Gil, 19, was arrested Saturday in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida — a suburb of Miami — after he deliberately ran over a police officer with his motorcycle, leaving him with a “disabling” leg injury, according to authorities.
A police officer was conducting a traffic stop on Collins Avenue when he saw Gil weaving through traffic and motioned for him to stop, but the teen kept driving and ran him over, according to the incident report.
The officer then grabbed Gil from his bicycle and brought him to the ground before arresting him.
Gil then apologized and told police that he did not mean to hit the officer, but that he was weaving through lanes because “he hates waiting behind traffic.”
Avraham Gil, 19, is seen sobbing in his mugshot after he was arrested Saturday in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, a suburb of Miami
Police say Gil deliberately ran over a police officer with his motorcycle after being ordered to stop driving
The Sunny Isles officer reportedly suffered a “disabling” leg injury
Despite having at least two previous encounters with police in just two months, Gil was released on his own recognizance after his lawyer argued that his father Eli Gil, a diplomat at the Israeli consulate in Miami, has diplomatic status.
The State Department states that “family members who are part of the households of diplomatic agents enjoy exactly the same privileges and immunities as the sponsoring diplomatic agents.”
These privileges include full immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of the courts of the host country – unless the sending state waives this.
After Gil’s arrest, Room 10 has uncovered the teen’s previous encounters with police, including a license plate reading ‘pls Chase’, which appear to indicate a pattern of road rage.
Gil’s sign is seen during one of his interactions with the police. The sign reads ‘PLS CHASE’
Gil was released on his own recognizance after his lawyer argued that his father Eli Gil, a diplomat at the Israeli consulate in Miami, has diplomatic status.
Diplomatic privileges include full immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of the courts of the host country – unless the sending state waives this. Gil’s father Eli is pictured above
Gil was pulled over for traffic violations on December 31, and video of the encounter shows him telling an officer that his father is a diplomat.
“Do you want me to call him?” the teen is heard asking the officer.
Miami Shores police tried to stop the teen again on Jan. 14, but he kept driving, and Miami Shore police don’t chase traffic violations.
Gil is charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer with violence.
The diplomat’s son is also accused of driving without a license plate or license.
His next court appearance is on February 26.