A WOMAN has been arrested after allegedly smashing through a gate near President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate before leading cops on a wild chase.
The bizarre standoff ended with Alexa Rae Scharf, 29, being dragged from her SUV – and her pet dog shot dead after police said it attacked an officer.
Scharf, of Loxahatchee, Florida, allegedly entered a closed Secret Service checkpoint near Trump’s Palm Beach estate at around 6.05pm on Tuesday.
The US President was not at Mar-a-Lago during the incident.
Investigators said Scharf drove her gray Hyundai SUV into the Bath & Tennis Club’s west parking lot, where no one was authorized to enter at the time.
But instead of immediately leaving, she allegedly parked beside vehicle-screening tents, climbed out of the SUV and turned on a hose.
When Secret Service Agent McGear approached her and asked, “Who are you?” she allegedly gave a bizarre response.
“I’m here for the car wash,” Scharf reportedly replied.
The agent then attempted to photograph the SUV’s license plate to check whether she was authorized to be there, according to the arrest report.
But Scharf allegedly jumped back behind the wheel and ignored repeated orders to stop.
Investigators claim she then drove toward McGear, forcing the agent to quickly move out of her path to avoid being hit.
The Hyundai was spotted minutes later outside an oceanfront property at 1236 South Ocean Boulevard, less than half a mile away.
The property’s large entrance gate had allegedly been knocked down and visibly damaged, while Scharf’s SUV was reportedly stalled farther up the driveway.
Police said Scharf was seen walking around the property before returning to her running vehicle as officers and sheriff’s deputies closed in.
She was allegedly ordered to get out, but again refused to comply.
Investigators claim Scharf instead drove toward Palm Beach Police Captain Watson, who was forced to move quickly to avoid being struck.
Officer Castineiras then arrived and ordered Scharf to stop as she backed down the driveway, according to the arrest report.
But she allegedly drove toward him too, forcing the officer to jump from her path.
Scharf then Scharf then reportedly squeezed her SUV between marked police cruisers and sped south along South Ocean Boulevard as officers pursued her with lights and sirens.
The chase finally came to an end when she pulled into another driveway in the 1500 block of South Ocean Boulevard.
Cops carried out a felony stop and repeatedly ordered Scharf to switch off the SUV and step outside, the report says.
Police said she continued to refuse their commands, prompting officers to place stop sticks beneath her tires.
They then smashed the rear windshield and rear driver’s side window in an attempt to get inside.
Officers eventually pried open the driver’s door and hauled Scharf from the SUV before taking her into custody.
But the dramatic arrest then took a deadly turn.
Palm Beach police said Scharf’s pit bull suddenly charged at officers as they opened the vehicle, CBS12 reported.
The dog allegedly jumped over Scharf and bit one officer before another cop opened fire.
The pit bull was shot twice.
Animal Care and Control workers and a veterinarian desperately tried to treat the wounded animal, but it died.
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/news/16911548/woman-arrested-crash-gates-trump-mar-a-lago/
