The suspect behind the wheel of an SUV that crashed through two security checkpoints at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort last week is reportedly an opera singer from Connecticut who suffers from mental illness and was off her medication, an attorney for the woman told a judge Monday.
Hannah Roemhild, 30, is facing multiple charges, including aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer in last Friday's incident in which police said she led the Florida Highway Patrol on a harrowing chase through Palm Beach that ended after her SUV barreled through the gates of the presidential retreat.
The president was not at the resort at the time.
Credit: Joe Cavaretta
Credit: Joe Cavaretta
Police opened fire on the vehicle, which managed to escape on another brief chase before she was finally arrested, reports said.
Roemhild was not injured in the shooting, despite photos showing several bullet holes through the SUV’s windshield.
At Roemhild’s first hearing Monday, Palm Beach County Judge Ted Booras ordered the woman to remain jailed and to undergo a psychological evaluation, according to reports. A second hearing in her case was then scheduled for Friday.
Credit: Joe Cavaretta
Credit: Joe Cavaretta
Police said the chase began about noon Friday about 3 miles from Mar-a-Lago.
A state trooper working security for a Palm Beach hotel noticed Roemhild in the parking lot dancing on the roof of a Jeep SUV, according to reports by The Associated Press.
The officer approached Roemhild, who jumped inside the vehicle and refused to acknowledge his commands.
Next, Roemhild began driving away, according to reports.
The trooper smashed her window and grabbed the steering wheel, but was unable to keep Roemhild from fleeing the scene.
Later, following the gunfire at Trump’s resort, police said Roemhild stopped somewhere and picked up a female relative.
Using a license plate reader, detectives were quickly able to track the SUV to a motel near Palm Beach International Airport, and Roemhild was arrested before she could make it inside her room, reports said.
Credit: Terry Renna
Credit: Terry Renna
The Associated Press reported that Roemhild has appeared in several Connecticut operas and said on social media recently that she had a performance scheduled in Palm Beach last week.
Trump and the first family did not arrive until hours after Friday’s incident and spent the weekend there for the Super Bowl.
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