A Florida woman smashed through a gate near President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Tuesday evening, leading authorities on a police chase that concluded with her dog being fatally shot after it bit an officer.
Alexa Rae Scharf, 29, drove into a closed Secret Service checkpoint near the Palm Beach property, exited her vehicle, and turned on a hose, according to an arrest affidavit. When a Secret Service agent inquired about her presence, Scharf reportedly stated, "I'm here for the car wash."
As the agent attempted to photograph her license plate, Scharf re-entered her vehicle, ignored commands to stop, and drove toward the agent, forcing him to move out of the way. The affidavit states that shortly after, police located the SUV inside an oceanfront estate about a half-mile away, where a large entrance gate had been broken down.
Scharf was found near the property but re-entered her vehicle. She reversed toward a Palm Beach police captain and another officer before maneuvering between police cruisers and speeding away, initiating a pursuit. The chase ended in a driveway, but Scharf continued to disregard officers' commands.
Police deployed stop sticks, which disabled the vehicle's tires, and broke the rear windshield and rear driver-side window. During the arrest, as officers opened a car door, Scharf's pit bull reportedly jumped over her and bit an officer. A police officer then discharged their firearm, fatally wounding the dog. The animal was transported to an animal hospital, where it later died.
The incident caused the closure of the surrounding area for approximately three hours.
Scharf, a resident of Loxahatchee, faces charges including two counts of aggravated assault, felony fleeing, and resisting arrest. Jail records indicate she was released on a $16,000 bond early Friday morning.