A man accused of a violent sexual battery on a woman rollerblading in Miami Beach on Tuesday was arrested Friday morning on the beach in Hollywood, police say.
Keith Hill Jr., 30, is in Broward Main Jail on charges of failing to register as a sex offender and giving false identification to law enforcement, as well as an out-of-county hold related to the Miami Beach case.
The attack, captured on security camera, took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning at the intersection of Southwest 23rd Street and the Beachwalk, according to Miami Beach Police. The woman was rollerblading when a man appeared to grab her from behind and drag her to the ground, crouching over her as a physical struggle ensued, according to footage shared by WSVN-Ch.7.
On Thursday, Miami Beach Police issued a “BOLO” (be on the lookout) for the assailant, which Hollywood Police received.
About 9:30 a.m. Friday, two police officers assigned to Hollywood Beach recognized Hill on the beach and went up to him, according to Officer Christian Lata, a spokesperson for Hollywood Police. They detained him and were able to identify him, despite Hill giving them the wrong name.
“Though our investigation were able to determine what his real name was and arrest him on those charges,” Lata said. “And we told Miami Beach, ‘Hey, look, we got your guy.’ ”
Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones announced the arrest in a statement posted to social media Friday afternoon.
Hill is a registered sex offender in Illinois, state records show. According to the records, he had committed aggravated sexual abuse on a victim between the ages of 13 and 16.
The day before the attack, Sunny Isles Beach Police had “encountered” Hill at a park, according to Officer Christopher Bess, a spokesperson for Miami Beach Police. He did not have further details on the encounter.
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