Sunny Isles Beach traffict stop leads to woman’s arrest for counterfeit diplomatic tag

BY SHELDON FOX, JESSICA HOLLY, ALEX BROWNING, KEVIN BOULANDIER, CAROLINA BORGES
MARCH 13, 2024

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A routine stop by Sunny Isles Beach Police officers led to the arrest of a woman for driving with a counterfeit license plate, leading to social media attention after a video of the interaction was posted online. … The incident, captured in cellphone video sent to 7News, has prompted the police department to clarify the circumstances surrounding the arrest.

Cecilia Mercado, 32, was pulled over by police officers for ignoring a “Right Turn Only” sign in a high-traffic area known for frequent accidents. The video showed the officer forcibly pulling her out of the car, Tuesday, after she didn’t cooperate. … “Please bring your supervisor now!” the man who was in the car with Mercado said in the video. “I feel threatened.”

Despite initially being stopped for traffic violations, the situation escalated when Mercado claimed to have “sovereign citizenship” and refused to comply with the officers’ request for her identification and insurance documents.

A video circulating online shows a portion of the interaction, missing the critical moment when Mercado rolled up her car window as officers were asking for her ID and insurance, police said. This led to the police legally taking her from the vehicle and placing her in handcuffs…. “She is not a United States citizen. They have no jurisdiction over you,” continued the visibly irate man. “You are going to get fired from your job and she’s going to get $250,000 for winning in court. If you want to play, I will see you in court.”

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