A Split-Second Decision and a Life Saved by an MDSO Lieutenant

Just 30 minutes into his overnight shift on April 8, 2025, Lieutenant Carlos Suarez heard the call come through: A car had crashed through a guardrail and landed in a canal near Southwest Eighth Street and 147th Avenue.

He was close—close enough to see the growing commotion and the sinking vehicle, its front end plunged into the water at a 45-degree angle. After parking his car near the canal, he could hear the muffled sound of a man banging against a window from inside the car.

What happened next would be over in seconds, but it would earn Lt. Suarez a Lifesaving Award, a Bronze Medal of Valor—the third-highest honor given by the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office—and recognition as Distinguished Deputy of the Month for May.

But in the moment, Lt. Suarez focused only on reaching the driver. He removed his gun belt, grabbed his flashlight and ran toward the water.

A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department truck had just pulled up, and a firefighter, Lt. Carlos Rangel, was putting on flippers and rescue gear. Lt. Rangel dove into the murky canal and shattered the car’s rear window with a rescue tool. Then, Lt. Suarez made a decision: He jumped in, uniform and all. “I realized that banging noise had stopped, and thought it would be better if I went out there to assist.”

Swimming through the cold, dark canal, Lt. Suarez reached the car and climbed onto its roof. Reaching into the broken window, his fingers brushed against the driver’s head. The car started to gradually dip lower.

“You couldn’t really see much,” Lt. Suarez said. He pushed farther in and, unable to find a better grip, grasped the man gently by the neck—just enough to pull. The man, thankfully, had already undone his seat belt.

Suddenly, Lt. Rangel shouted: “Let go, it’s going under!” The car sank quickly, and Lt. Suarez drew back a bit, but then both he and Lt. Rangel were pulled down into the depths of the canal. After reaching the broken window again, Lt. Suarez reached in and grabbed the driver. Together, he and Lt. Rangel pulled the unconscious man to shore.

As paramedics began CPR on the driver, Lt. Suarez stood soaked, silently hoping. Moments later, the man regained consciousness and was rushed to a nearby hospital. He would make a full recovery.

On June 26, Lt. Suarez was recognized for his bravery. Inside the second-floor auditorium of the Fred Taylor Headquarters Building, he walked up to the podium to accept his award. Lt. Suarez is an 18-year veteran of the agency, a career almost exclusively dedicated to patrolling.

“I was just doing my job,” Lt. Suarez said after the ceremony. “Any one of my fellow deputies would have done the same.” But those who know him say his actions reflect years of instinct built from experience—moments when danger came close and demanded quick thinking and steady nerves.

As a rookie, he had a close brush with a dangerous and armed felon, and several years later, he had to subdue a man who lunged at him with two large knives. In both cases, Lt. Suarez was able to subdue the subjects.

For Lt. Suarez, though, receiving awards or attention isn’t the point. He prefers to just put on his uniform and help the public. After he assisted in rescuing the driver, he shifted into traffic control mode around the site, helping usher cars by. After that, he went home, changed into a dry uniform and continued his shift. “You never know what kind of call is going to come in,” he said. “You just try to be ready—and hope it’s enough.”

The canal rescue brought Lt. Suarez’s quick thinking into sharp focus. Undersheriff Christopher Carothers said, “Lt. Suarez knew the dangers, but he still went in. That’s courage.”