It was late morning when tragedy struck just off the northbound lanes of Interstate 75 near the Gratigny Parkway in Hialeah Gardens. At approximately 11:25 a.m., emergency crews were called when a motorman from the Miami Beach Police Department laid down his motorcycle and went down an embankment, prompting a full closure of the northbound lanes.
The rider was identified as 33-year-old Officer David Cajuso, a ten-year veteran of the department and a highly respected member of his unit. He was quickly air-lifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries.
In a somber press conference outside the hospital, Chief Wayne Jones called Officer Cajuso a “decorated hero” and urged the region to remember not just his uniform, but the man behind it. He asked the public to keep Cajuso’s young wife and their three children—ages two, three and five—in their thoughts as they face this unimaginable loss.
Following the announcement, a procession was held where dozens of officers from across South Florida rallied together in tribute. Many lined the hospital driveway, standing at attention as Cajuso’s body was carried to the medical examiner’s office. As a symbol of his service, Chief Jones handed his wife an American flag, acknowledging the sacrifice that accompanies a life in law enforcement.
Investigators from the Florida Highway Patrol are now digging into the circumstances of the crash. At present the details remain limited: the motorcycle reportedly veered off the northbound lanes near the Palmetto Expressway extension and down the embankment, but exactly how that happened is still under review.
Within the law-enforcement community, the loss of Officer Cajuso has resonated deeply. “It doesn’t matter whose badge or patch you wear—we all come together. We all mourn together,” said Steadman Stahl, president of the South Florida Police Benevolent Association. It’s a reminder that behind every uniform is a human life: a husband, father, colleague.
Officer Cajuso leaves behind a legacy of dedication and service—to his city, to his team, and to his family. Today South Florida mourns the sudden loss of a protector who paid the ultimate price on the road.
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