PALM BEACH — A woman was arrested Tuesday night after police say a strange encounter at a closed Secret Service checkpoint near President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate escalated into a pursuit that shut down part of South Ocean Boulevard for more than three hours.
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Town alerts show the road was closed between Via Agape and 1236 S. Ocean Blvd. from about 6 p.m. until approximately 9:30 p.m.
Police identified the woman as 29-year-old Alexa Rae Scharf of Loxahatchee.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Scharf drove her gray Hyundai SUV into a closed checkpoint in the Bath & Tennis Club’s west parking lot about 6:05 p.m. Investigators said no one was authorized to enter at the time. Scharf allegedly parked beside the vehicle-screening tents, got out and turned on a hose.
When Secret Service Agent McGear approached and asked, “Who are you?” Scharf allegedly replied, “I’m here for the car wash.”
McGear attempted to photograph the SUV’s license plate to determine whether Scharf was authorized to be there. Police say she returned to the driver’s seat, ignored repeated commands to stop and drove toward the agent, forcing him to move out of her path.
Minutes later, McGear found the Hyundai outside an oceanfront estate at 1236 S. Ocean Blvd., less than a half-mile away.
After turning around, he reported finding the property’s massive entrance gate knocked down and visibly damaged. Scharf’s SUV was farther up the driveway, and she was allegedly walking around the property.
The homeowners declined to comment Wednesday.
The affidavit says Scharf returned to the running SUV as Palm Beach police officers and Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies moved up the driveway and ordered her to get out.
Investigators allege Scharf drove directly toward Palm Beach Police Capt. Watson, forcing him to move quickly to avoid being struck. As Scharf backed down the driveway, Officer Castineiras arrived and ordered her to stop. Police say she continued driving toward him, also forcing him out of her path.
Scharf then maneuvered between marked police cruisers and fled south on South Ocean Boulevard as officers pursued with emergency lights and sirens, according to the affidavit.
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The pursuit ended in a driveway in the 1500 block of South Ocean Boulevard. Police conducted a felony stop and repeatedly ordered Scharf to turn off the SUV and come out.
After she continued refusing commands, officers placed stop sticks beneath the tires and broke the rear windshield and rear driver-side window. The affidavit says officers ultimately opened the driver’s door, removed Scharf and took her into custody.
The affidavit does not describe what happened with Scharf’s dog. Palm Beach police provided that account separately to CBS12 News.
The department said a pit bull inside the SUV jumped over Scharf, charged at officers and bit one when they opened a door. An officer shot the dog twice.
Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control and a veterinarian attempted to treat the dog, but it died.
Police said an initial on-scene investigation found no policy violations. The officer who shot the dog has not been placed on administrative leave.
The condition of the officer who was bitten has not been released. The Secret Service declined to comment.
Police said Scharf faces two counts of aggravated assault with a vehicle, felony fleeing and resisting an officer without violence. However, the affidavit’s final paragraph also says investigators found probable cause for three counts of resisting an officer with violence.
Court records show a driver’s license suspension was reported for Scharf on Aug. 17, eight days before the encounter, in connection with a July speeding case. Records also show Palm Beach Gardens police arrested Scharf on a DUI charge in 2018.
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WPEC-CBS12 is a news partner of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.