Trill Clinton
07-24-2012, 12:00 PM
Skateboarder Who Said He’d Been Attacked By Black Males "Mistaken"
http://dreamindemonwp.dreamindemon.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/rene-betancourt-125x188.jpgMiami, FL – Rene Betancourt, an avid 22-year-old skateboarder who was found battered and disoriented in his sister’s car by his parents, originally told investigators that he had been beaten and robbed by “4 to 5 unknown black males.”
A subsequent investigation was not yielding any leads, and now we know why. On Friday, police released surveillance video from the parking garage where Betancourt was skating. It showed him taking a nasty spill, striking his head against a wall and falling, unconscious, to the ground. His shaggy mop of a head apparently provided precious little cushion against the reinforced concrete.
After about five minutes, Betancourt got up and stumbled to an elevator with his skateboard under his arm, limply leaning against the wall. He was able to make several unanswered calls from his cell phone shortly after regaining consciousness at about 1:30 AM; one to a friend, and another to his younger sister. Somehow, in his delirium, he made it to his sister’s borrowed car.
At some point, his parents called his cell phone and received only a garbled answer. They found him in relatively short order, still in his sister’s car, and rushed him to the Ryder Trauma Center, only minutes away, where he was to be treated for a fractured skull, a laceration to his head, and a potentially fatal blood clot in his brain. Betancourt was not wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.
Shortly after he’d arrived at the ER, investigators began questioning him about his injuries. They gleaned from his faint responses that he had been attacked by several black males.
The story quickly became hot news in Miami and an investigation was launched. Jackson Memorial Hospital set up a donation fund for his medical bills. Miami Longboard Crew organized a fundraiser for their fellow skater in response to what Miami Police had said was an apparent robbery, and sympathetic comments were made on Facebook by fundraiser organizer Jorge Garcia.
“This is truly disturbing,” Garcia wrote. “The foul souls responsible for this have tainted our sanctuary.” Well, at least Garcia didn’t take the opportunity to make skateboarders sound like high-minded saviors of humanity or anything. Seriously, Jorge, let’s tone it down a bit, shall we?
Now that the video has been released, most everyone is relieved that it was merely an accident, especially the scads of Miami’s black males who were just patiently waiting to be hauled in for questioning. No word on whether or not the donated funds will be returned to the pissed-off individuals who didn’t realize they were coughing up their money to a clumsy moron who didn’t feel like wearing a helmet.
Betancourt is recovering at home. While he can speak with some difficulty and recognize family members, he cannot recall the incident, his mother said. No charges are expected to be filed due to the head trauma the confused skate-rat sustained. Miami Police are not amused nor appreciative after likely having frisked more than their fair share of dudes over the past few weeks.
I’m left only wondering why it took over two weeks to obtain surveillance video from the parking garage.
http://dreamindemonwp.dreamindemon.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/rene-betancourt-125x188.jpgMiami, FL – Rene Betancourt, an avid 22-year-old skateboarder who was found battered and disoriented in his sister’s car by his parents, originally told investigators that he had been beaten and robbed by “4 to 5 unknown black males.”
A subsequent investigation was not yielding any leads, and now we know why. On Friday, police released surveillance video from the parking garage where Betancourt was skating. It showed him taking a nasty spill, striking his head against a wall and falling, unconscious, to the ground. His shaggy mop of a head apparently provided precious little cushion against the reinforced concrete.
After about five minutes, Betancourt got up and stumbled to an elevator with his skateboard under his arm, limply leaning against the wall. He was able to make several unanswered calls from his cell phone shortly after regaining consciousness at about 1:30 AM; one to a friend, and another to his younger sister. Somehow, in his delirium, he made it to his sister’s borrowed car.
At some point, his parents called his cell phone and received only a garbled answer. They found him in relatively short order, still in his sister’s car, and rushed him to the Ryder Trauma Center, only minutes away, where he was to be treated for a fractured skull, a laceration to his head, and a potentially fatal blood clot in his brain. Betancourt was not wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.
Shortly after he’d arrived at the ER, investigators began questioning him about his injuries. They gleaned from his faint responses that he had been attacked by several black males.
The story quickly became hot news in Miami and an investigation was launched. Jackson Memorial Hospital set up a donation fund for his medical bills. Miami Longboard Crew organized a fundraiser for their fellow skater in response to what Miami Police had said was an apparent robbery, and sympathetic comments were made on Facebook by fundraiser organizer Jorge Garcia.
“This is truly disturbing,” Garcia wrote. “The foul souls responsible for this have tainted our sanctuary.” Well, at least Garcia didn’t take the opportunity to make skateboarders sound like high-minded saviors of humanity or anything. Seriously, Jorge, let’s tone it down a bit, shall we?
Now that the video has been released, most everyone is relieved that it was merely an accident, especially the scads of Miami’s black males who were just patiently waiting to be hauled in for questioning. No word on whether or not the donated funds will be returned to the pissed-off individuals who didn’t realize they were coughing up their money to a clumsy moron who didn’t feel like wearing a helmet.
Betancourt is recovering at home. While he can speak with some difficulty and recognize family members, he cannot recall the incident, his mother said. No charges are expected to be filed due to the head trauma the confused skate-rat sustained. Miami Police are not amused nor appreciative after likely having frisked more than their fair share of dudes over the past few weeks.
I’m left only wondering why it took over two weeks to obtain surveillance video from the parking garage.