Miami New Times: Cops Say Carlos Bertonatti Refused to Believe He’d Killed A Cyclist, Resisted Blood Tests
By Tim Elfrink in CrimeThu., Jan. 21 2010 @ 11:05AM
Once Miami-Dade police finally arrested Carlos Bertonatti on Sunday morning — after he’d slammed into a biker, sped away and led police on a several mile chase with a bike lodged under his front fender — the singer-songwriter refused to acknowledge that he’d just killed a man.
So says an arrest report released to Riptide this morning. The report fills in the gaps from Sunday’s horrific crash, which has outraged bikers across Miami, and explains why Bertonatti was charged with resisting arrest in addition to DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide.
Inside the Key Biscayne Fire Department’s station house, a Miami-Dade officer told Bertonatti that he looked drunk and explained that he’d killed Christophe Le Cann, a 44-year-old bike rider.
“He’s not dead,” Bertonatti told police, according to the report. “You’re lying to me. Cops do that stuff all the time. I don’t believe you.”
No, Carlos, the officer said. Le Canne was dead, and cops needed a sample of Bertonatti’s blood to test.
“I don’t believe you, I’m not doing anything,” Bertonatti said. “I want my lawyer.”
Two more cops tried to convince the watery-eyed, red-faced singer that, indeed, the guy he just ran over was dead. Bertonatti didn’t believe them either.
Finally, to get a blood test, police had to carry Bertonatti to a fire truck and strap him to a back board.
“His arm was forcibly extended as the defendent resisted and the blood sample was drawn,” the police report says.
As we reported this morning, Bertonatti is free after posting $100,000 bond.
