A Cuban-American man, formerly a baseball player from Pinar del Río, was one of two brothers arrested Monday afternoon after a heated and violent altercation with an employee at a tire store in southwest Miami-Dade. This individual, known for his years playing with Vegueros in Cuba's National Series, was identified by Florida-based sports commentator Ernesto Amaya as Pedro Luis Rodríguez.
Pedro Luis Rodríguez's Baseball Legacy
The arrest of Rodríguez has sent shockwaves through the baseball community in Pinar del Río, where he remains a beloved former athlete. During his career in Cuba, Rodríguez participated in seven National Series, achieving a batting average of .266 with 214 hits in 804 at-bats. His statistics include 37 doubles, 11 home runs, 129 RBIs, and 95 runs scored, with an overall offensive line of .327/.353/.680 (OBP/SLG/OPS), according to the sports outlet Swing Completo.
Rodríguez made his National Series debut in 2010, though his career was marked by interruptions. He temporarily stepped away from the sport in 2013 but returned for the 2017-2018 season, ultimately retiring from Cuban baseball in 2020-2021.
The Incident Leading to Arrest
The confrontation took place at Tire Liquidators Miami II, located at 2090 Southwest 67th Avenue. The brothers had gone to the store to lodge a complaint about previous work done on their vehicle. According to the arrest report, as cited by local media, the situation quickly escalated when the brothers began arguing with the mechanic, referred to as a "victim" in the report, whose identity remains undisclosed.
The employee attempted to defuse the situation by offering contact information for the business owners. However, one of the brothers started assaulting the employee, prompting the mechanic to brandish a firearm he carried for protection. In response, the brothers allegedly attacked the mechanic, striking him multiple times on the head and body. During the scuffle, the mechanic discharged his weapon three times, injuring Pedro Luis Rodríguez in the leg.
Subsequently, Rodríguez seized the mechanic's gun and struck him in the head, reportedly threatening, "You're just good for killing." The mechanic managed to flee the office, only to be caught outside by Luis Ángel Rodríguez, who continued the assault, disarmed his brother, and pointed the weapon at the mechanic, according to the police report.
The employee sustained bruises on both arms and a head laceration but did not require hospitalization. Pedro Luis Rodríguez was taken to Ryder Trauma Center in stable condition due to his leg wound. Both he and his brother were arrested shortly thereafter.
Pedro Luis Rodríguez faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, while Luis Ángel Rodríguez is charged with aggravated assault and battery with a firearm, as indicated by court records. The store owner, also of Cuban descent, defended his employee, acknowledging that the mechanic carried a firearm for safety reasons and stated that the employee would continue working at the store following the incident.