Man allegedly used a child as a human shield in Brevard when he was forced out of his vehicle at gunpoint

BREVARD COUNTY, Florida. – A man arrested Wednesday in Brevard County is accused of driving away after an attempted traffic stop and then using a small child as a human shield while being ordered to get out of his vehicle at gunpoint, according to the sheriff's office.

A deputy saw Randall Miranda II, 52, turn right from Aurora Road eastbound onto US 1 southbound at about 3:30 p.m. without coming to a complete stop at the red light, according to Miranda's probable cause affidavit. As he approached the intersection of US 1 and Sunset Drive, the deputy activated his lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop for a traffic violation, the affidavit states.

Miranda's vehicle slowly pulled to the right but continued to roll south until it went over the north curb and onto Sunset Drive, then over the south curb of the roadway, onto the south sidewalk and back onto southbound U.S. 1, cutting off traffic, according to the affidavit.

The vehicle eventually drove off and came to a stop in the 200 block of S. Babcock Street, at which point officers intervened and held Miranda — who was now in the back seat — at gunpoint, the affidavit states. Miranda then grabbed one of the two children who were in the vehicle with him “and held him in front of him as a shield,” officers said.

Miranda was forcibly removed from the vehicle and arrested, the affidavit states. He was arrested several hours later and faces charges of fleeing and eluding a police officer, reckless driving, driving while license suspended (habitual offender), resisting an officer without the use of force and two counts of child neglect with serious bodily injury.

At his first court appearance Thursday, Miranda was appointed a public defender and ordered not to have any further contact with the victims unless the Department of Children and Families decides otherwise. The judge set Miranda's bail at $59,000 and he was released Saturday afternoon, records show.

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey said on social media that the child Miranda allegedly used as a human shield is 4 years old. The other child is 3 years old.

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