Broward Sheriff: Fleeing burglar kills 2 bicyclist

(WPLG-TV Image)

COOPER CITY, Fla. – A Miami man faces two counts of first-degree murder after police said he hit and killed two bicyclists while in a stolen car fleeing a burglary in Cooper City.

Broward Sheriff's Office deputies arrested Obrian Ricardo Oakley, 26, on Sunday.

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Oakley and Sadik Rashad Baxter, 25, were burglarizing cars and homes in the Rock Creek neighborhood early Sunday, said deputies. The pair had broken into five vehicles before a homeowner caught Baxter in the act about 7:05 a.m.

"He went to the back of their house and tried to get into the sliding glass door and they have two giant dogs that spooked them," said Zona Horton.

Horton's neighbor stopped Baxter and helped them arrest him while Oakley sped away in his girlfriend's silver Infiniti, said deputies.

"My neighbor said, 'That's it. That's it. That's the silver car,'" said Horton.

Deputies said Oakley (pictured, right) ran a red light at Sheridan Street and Palm Avenue, hit a red Toyota Corolla, and then hit two cyclists. The cyclists, Christopher McConnell, of Cooper City, and Dean Amelkin, of Coral Springs, both died at the scene.

The driver of the Corolla suffered non-life threatening injuries.

"It's really devastating to see my friend who rode for 25 years," said Lou Gonzalez.

Gonzalez put flowers on the corner of the intersection, where he said his friend was one of the two cyclists killed.

"Just so painful, the pain and the shock," said Gonzalez.

Police said Oakley bailed out of the car after the crash and ran off.

Oakley was arrested about 11:52 a.m. when he was spotted walking across Sheridan Street.

In addition to the felony murder charges, Oakley will face charges of burglary conveyance, petit theft, crash involving death or personal injury, crash to a vehicle or other property and two counts of failure to render aid, said police. Baxter will be charged with burglary to an occupied dwelling, burglary to a conveyance, larceny, and petit theft, said police.