Miami parking nightmare: From the homeless parking mafia to the meter fairy

According to a police report, Benjamin was irate. She grabbed a bottle of water from her car and "splashed/squeezed water on [Jaglal's] face and uniform shirt" before pushing him in the chest in an attempt to get in her car and flee the scene.

Benjamin remembers it differently. She claims the officer became aggressive when she refused to give him her keys. "He got all up on me, saying, 'Oh, you're not going to give me the keys?'" Benjamin recalls. "I told him: 'Back up out of my face.'"

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Cabbie Pierre Jean-Charles was stabbed in a Miami Beach parking dispute.

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Coconut Grove's magical meter fairy, Xavier Cortes, was forced into retirement by the Miami Parking Authority.

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More About

• Pierre Jean-Charles
• Rolanda Benjamin
• Xavier Cortes
• Fred Bredemeyer
• Miami Parking Authority

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That's when Jaglal shoved Benjamin, prompting her to perform the Poland Spring baptism. Says Benjamin: "I poured my water on him and said, 'You got the nerve to put your hands on a lady? You're going to jail!'"

Indeed, the teacher says it was she who called the cops — but when they arrived at the scene, she says, "the police walked directly past me and to the parking officer. Of course they're going to believe what he says, because he works for the county."

Reached on his cell phone, Jaglal told New Times: "I'm not allowed to comment."

Benjamin was charged with felony battery on a parking enforcement specialist. Teach has been in cuffs before: Records show that in 2004, she was hit with petty theft charges that were later dropped. And in March 2008, she was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a license, for which she paid a $358 fine. In the incident with the parking officer, she lost her main cause: Cops confiscated her keys so Jaglal could tow her car. At Molina Towing, she paid nearly $800 in back tickets and tow truck fees before she could free the Impala from impound.

On October 13, the battery charge was dismissed, vindicating the educator, who says, "Jesus is my attorney," and then scoffs, "Me go to jail for battery? Me? If I would've battered him, you'd know. He'd have bruises."