By Sarah Hutchins
Lakeland Ledger
TAMPA, Fla. — Police arrested a man Saturday they said posed as an undercover narcotics officer to rob and rape a woman near Bayshore Boulevard.
Luis Marcelo Munuzuri Harris, 31, of Deland is expected to face charges of sexual battery.
About 10 p.m. Thursday night, Harris parked his Chevy Impala in the median of Bayshore Boulevard and used a blue laser flashlight to signal a female driver to pull over, police said.
He told her that she was intoxicated, handcuffed her and put her in the back seat of his car.
Police said Harris then drove the woman, who is in her early 30s, to an automated teller machine in Hyde Park and used her debit card to withdraw money.
Next, Harris drove to Patriot’s Park.
Police said he climbed into the back of the car and sexually assaulted the woman before letting her go.
An unrelated 911 call Saturday morning led officers to Harris.
Tampa police Lt. Donny Peters said, officers answered a disturbance call at a club, Pete’s Place.
Officers arrived around 2 a.m. and approached a man in a white or grey Chevy Impala. They noticed the car matched the description of the vehicle wanted in the Bayshore sexual battery case.
Harris, who was driving the car, sped off, Peters said, and hit a dead-end road near the canal.
He bailed out of his car and fled on foot.
Officers started a chase and set up a perimeter, but couldn’t locate him. Later, officers spotted him peeking out of a two-story commercial building on Henderson Boulevard.
Peters said officers had to use a Taser to bring Harris into custody.
Harris also could face charges for the disturbance that led to his arrest, using the rape vicitm’s debit card and impersonating a police officer.
Peters said that when officers searched Harris’ car, they found an identification card for a police detective organization. Police are not sure whether the organization is real.
Harris has a lengthy arrest record, including aggravated child abuse, grand theft and burglary.
Copyright 2010 Lakeland Ledger Publishing Corporation