Two people are behind bars following a scary collision involving a Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputy. CCSO reports that the deputy escaped injury Tuesday when his patrol car was struck head-on by a fleeing suspect wanted on felony arrest warrants. 49-year-old Alexandre Baud is in the Collier County Jail on various felonies, including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer and fleeing and eluding.
CCSO says Baud is a convicted felon from San Francisco. CCSO says it was alerted that Baud may be in the area traveling in a white Subaru Outback with California plates. Baud had an active felony warrant out of California. Around 6:15 p.m., deputies located the vehicle unoccupied outside the Target at 2324 Pine Ridge Road.
Baud and a female companion returned to the vehicle where deputies were waiting. The female fled. Baud allegedly ignored commands to exit the vehicle. CCSO says Baud pulled out of the parking spot at a high rate of speed and drove past deputies. He allegedly turned around and sped towards a deputy in a patrol car violently ramming the deputy’s patrol car.
Following the crash, Baud was taken into custody. The deputy was not injured. CCSO says Baud was in possession of a concealed weapon and a pair of brass knuckles was found in his vehicle. He also faces narcotics charges after deputies reportedly found drugs in the vehicle. 38-year-old Amanda Helwig of Boca Raton is charged with possession of fentanyl and other narcotics-related charges.
Jay Skelton is an independent crime journalist with a passion for covering the uncovered and the under covered.