Man whom agent shot at faces multiple charges after chase
WEST PALM BEACH — Ronnie Williams Jr. knew he was being followed, the 27-yearold told agents Friday.
And he was. Palm Beach and Martin counties sheriff ’s authorities were on his trail Friday, waiting to arrest him on theft and burglary with assault charges stemming from a June incident at a woman’s North Palm Beach-area home, records show.
As authorities tracked Williams from Martin County down to West Palm Beach, the Jupiter resident picked up a half-dozen new charges, crashed into two unmarked sheriff ’s cars and prompted an agent to fire his gun.
Williams told authorities he “blacked out” after the agent shot at him. That bullet hit the driver’s side of his door. That agent is on paid administrative leave, per the sheriff ’s office’s protocol.
Williams was being held Tuesday in the Palm Beach County Jail in lieu of $87,000 bail. He faces charges of aggravated battery on law-enforcement officers, fleeing and eluding and burglary from Friday’s run-in, records show.
Agents were looking for Williams because of an active warrant for his arrest after he reportedly picked the lock and went into the home of a woman with whom he previously had a relationship. The woman said she was asleep and that Williams woke her, demanding to know whom she’d been texting. He reportedly threw her phone against a wall and smacked her so hard she lost hearing in one of her ears.
Authorities obtained a warrant for his arrest shortly after the incident, but it wasn’t until Friday when they received a tip about his whereabouts that they took him into custody.
Palm Beach and Martin sheriff ’s authorities followed his 2009 Kia SUV from Martin County — records do not indicate what he was doing there — down Interstate 95 to 45th Street, where he got off the highway at about 6 p.m. Friday.
Authorities assumed Williams knew he was being followed by unmarked patrol cars, so agents in a gray Chrysler van put on their overhead lights. Williams sped up and rammed the van, authorities said. Before the van could make a U-turn, Williams rammed it again, making it inoperable, according to sheriff ’s records.
Another agent in a Ford Expedition stopped behind Williams’ car. Williams “immediately accelerated” toward the Expedition, according to sheriff ’s records.
“In fear of being run over and killed by Williams,” the agent fired his gun and hit the driver’s side door of Williams’ car but missed Williams.
Williams kept driving east on 45th, past stop signs and through multiple red lights, authorities said. Williams turned onto Irwin Avenue and nearly hit a bicyclist, according to sheriff ’s records. He jumped from the SUV while it was still in drive and hid atop a home on 44th Street.