FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A man accused of striking a Broward sheriff's deputy with his car on Wednesday before leading authorities on a chase was scolded by a judge Thursday morning for lying to a public defender.
"Sir, you can't tell someone, 'Oh, I've always come back to court. I don't have any prior failures to appear' when that's just not true," the judge said. "It's not nice to her. It's not nice to me. Alright, now, I've reviewed the facts in this case. These are extremely serious charges. I'm very concerned about the safety of the community."
The judge ordered Michael Mainolfi, 51, to be held in lieu of a $160,000 bond.
According to Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, Mainolfi led deputies on a chase just before 2 p.m. Wednesday that started at the Dolphin Harbor Inn parking lot, 4245 N. Ocean Drive, in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea.
The sheriff said deputies watched Mainolfi inside his vehicle outside the motel and identified him as someone who was wanted in connection with a separate incident.
Israel said deputies ordered the suspect out of his vehicle, but he backed up, striking the deputy's vehicle and the deputy.
The deputy fired at Mainolfi, striking him in the upper arm, Israel said.
Israel said the chase ended at a medical building near Holy Cross Hospital in Fort Lauderdale after Mainolfi lost control of his vehicle and crashed into two parked cars.
Mainolfi faces several charges, including aggravated fleeing and eluding, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and resisting a law enforcement officer with violence.