Golden Beach Town Manager Alexander Diaz was a very naughty boy this past December 25. Miami Beach police officers arrested the 31-year-old small city bureaucrat for driving under the influence of alcohol. According to the arrest report, Diaz attempted to drive off in his gray BMW SUV after informing one of the cops at the scene:
"You don't know who I am? I am the city manager bitch!"
Diaz could not be reached for comment. He did not respond to a message sent to his town email address and his assistant said he would not be back in the office until January 5.
According to the arrest report, a friend of Diaz was driving his Beemer when they were pulled over on Alton Road and Sixth Street at 3:30 a.m. The town manager was in the passenger's seat and "appeared to be passed out."
The driver woke up a surly Diaz, who allegedly said: "What the fuck? Just go home." The driver was asked to get out of the SUV.
Diaz got out too and walked around to the driver's side. He ignored an officer's order to stay put and commands to do a roadside sobriety test, according to the arrest report.
Diaz's bust is the second black eye to hit the tiny, wealthy town of Golden Beach this month. Three weeks ago, CBS4 reported on Golden Beach Police Chief James Skinner's decision to keep Lt. Robert Barrio on the job despite facing felony kidnapping, false imprisonment and battery charges in Alachua County.
Apparently, cronyism and corruption is rampant in Golden Beach. A tipster informs me that one reason Barrios hasn't been suspended is due to his friendship with Diaz and Golden Beach Police Capt. Joseph Barasoain. Barrio and Diaz attended high school together. Barasoain and Barrio were police explorers in Homestead.
The source claims Barasoain has been up to no good too. The captain, in his city-provided squad car, picked up Diaz when he bonded out of county jail. It wasn't the first time Barasoain used his police vehicle to get a buddy out of the slammer. He did the same thing for Barrio when the lieutenant was arrested seven months ago in Gainesville.
