Man accused of murdering Rickenbacker cyclist in 2019 testifies

MIAMI – During his testimony Thursday in Miami-Dade County Court, Kadel Piedrahita said he shot and killed a 48-year-old father of three on the Rickenbacker Causeway more than five years ago – but he had no intention of killing him.

Piedrahita, who burst into tears in the courtroom, shot Alex Palencia and threatened Cesar Sosa along the causeway bridge on August 14, 2019, prosecutors said.

“I was afraid for my life and that of my son,” Pedrahita said in Spanish. He added: “I was attacked by Alexis and two other people and during the incident Alexis was armed.”

During his opening statement, Assistant District Attorney Conor Soper told jurors that Palencia and Sosa were not armed. Assistant Public Defender Yanelis Zamora, who is representing Piedrahita, said Sosa gave Palencia a firearm during an argument.

On Wednesday, Gustavo Londoño, a member of the Don Pan Riders – the cycling group that included Palencia, Sosa and Piedrahita's son – testified that he was just a few meters from the scene of the argument and shooting and that the only weapon he saw was the one Piedrahita was carrying.

Jurors viewed some of the video evidence. On Thursday, four more witnesses testified about the police investigation. Jurors saw the autopsy photos, the backpack Piedrahita carried his gun in, and the actual firearm he admitted to firing.

Before filming, Piedrahita was riding a motorcycle and filming the group of cyclists.

“One hand is on his bicycle, the other on the selfie stick with which he records Facebook Live,” Zamora told the jury in her opening statement.

Zamora said Palencia “put his hands” on Piedrahita, causing him to lose his balance. Soper said Piedrahita kicked Palencia off his motorcycle. Zamora and Soper agreed the two got into a scuffle.

“Two other cyclists also joined the fight. At one point it was actually three against one. Mr. Piedrahita was hit in the head with a hard object. He received several punches in the face,” Zamora said.

Soper said Piedrahita ordered his son to get his gun.

“He draws his weapon to demonstrate violence, not to use violence,” Zamora said.

Witnesses said Pedrahita shot Palencia in the stomach.

“This case was recorded by several different cameras,” Soper said. “It was recorded by the witnesses' cell phone cameras. It was recorded by the cyclists' GoPro cameras … and some of it was even recorded on the defendant's own video.”

Piedrahita is on trial for premeditated murder and aggravated assault with a firearm.