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Sweetwater Cop Charged With Battery

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A Sweetwater police officer who made headlines earlier this year after helped save the life of an infant who had stopped breathing has found himself on the wrong side of the law.

Amauris Bastidas, 39, was arrested on the Fourth of July for a fight he had with his wife.

According to his arrest report, on June 6th the two got into an argument in the parking lot of the Dolphin Mall. As it grew more heated Bastidas, who was in full uniform and armed, bit her on her upper lip.

On Tuesday, he appeared in bond court on an aggravated battery charge.

In March, Bastidas was named the Sweetwater Police Department's "Officer of the Month" for his life saving efforts.

He was also presented with two plaques, one from the American Red Cross and the other on behalf of the mayor and commission.

On February 20th, Pamela Rauseo had her five month old nephew in the car with her when she noticed he wasn't breathing. She stopped in the middle State Road 836 and started screaming.

That caught the attention of Miami Herald photojournalist Al Diaz who happened to be in the car behind her.

Diaz found Bastidas a few cars back.

The father of three boys, Bastidas said he had his own children on his mind when he hopped out of his car to help.

Bastidas, who was not on duty at the time, helped Rauseo and a Good Samaritan, Lucila Godoy, administer CPR until Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived.

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