A bizarre security incident near President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate escalated into a police chase, a smashed gate, and an officer being attacked by a dog. The chaotic encounter began when a Florida woman allegedly drove into a closed Secret Service checkpoint and claimed she believed she had arrived at a car wash.
Alexa Rae Scharf, 29, drove into the closed checkpoint near Trump’s property Tuesday evening and parked her vehicle beside a security screening tent, according to an arrest affidavit. She allegedly exited the vehicle and turned on a hose before a Secret Service agent approached and asked who she was.
“I’m here for the car wash,” Scharf allegedly responded.
The agent attempted to photograph her license plate, but authorities say she suddenly returned to the driver’s seat and ignored repeated commands to stop. Scharf then allegedly drove toward the Secret Service agent, forcing him to move out of the vehicle’s path to avoid being struck.
Police located the same SUV minutes later at an oceanfront estate approximately half a mile away, where a large entrance gate had been smashed. Scharf was initially outside the vehicle but allegedly climbed back inside when officers arrived. Authorities say she then reversed the SUV toward a Palm Beach police captain and another officer before maneuvering between police cruisers and speeding away.
Officers pursued Scharf until the chase reached a driveway. Police say she continued refusing commands to surrender. Authorities placed stop sticks beneath the SUV’s tires and smashed its rear windshield and rear driver’s-side window while attempting to take her into custody.
The situation escalated further when officers opened one of the vehicle’s doors. Scharf’s pit bull allegedly jumped over her and bit one of the officers attempting to make the arrest. An officer responded by opening fire and shooting the dog. The wounded animal was transported to an animal hospital but ultimately died from its injuries.
The condition of the bitten officer was not immediately available. The surrounding area was shut down for approximately three hours while law enforcement handled the investigation.
Scharf, a resident of Loxahatchee, was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault, felony fleeing, and resisting arrest. Jail records show she was released early Friday morning after posting a $16,000 bond.
Authorities have not publicly indicated that Scharf was attempting to target Trump or Mar-a-Lago. The available allegations describe an unusual encounter that rapidly escalated after she entered the Secret Service checkpoint. Her claimed reason for being there—that she believed she had arrived for a “car wash”—remains one of the strangest details in the charging documents.
The incident adds to ongoing security concerns surrounding properties associated with the president and underscores the challenges faced by Secret Service personnel and local law enforcement in protecting high-profile sites. What began with an unusual claim quickly developed into a serious confrontation involving an endangered agent, property damage, a pursuit, and multiple officers working to stop the vehicle. It ended with Scharf under arrest and her dog dead after police say the animal attacked an officer.