The North Lauderdale woman who authorities say slipped out of her handcuffs, fled a courtroom, and led a deputy on a foot chase through the streets of Fort Lauderdale was ordered to be held without bond.
Deyanira Infante Salazar, 35, had a first-appearance court hearing Friday on charges of escape, resisting arrest without violence, and petit theft, according to the arrest report read in court.
“[She] allegedly ran from the courthouse and was caught at Third Avenue and Courthouse Drive,” said Broward Circuit Judge John Hurley. “The theft is for the handcuffs, stealing the handcuffs.”
Cecile Delon had a bird’s eye view of the chase from her balcony at Nu River Landing.
“I see everything from there, the courtyard of the courthouse, the prisoners arriving every morning,” she said. “It’s amazing all the things you can see from there.”
But, she heard the commotion at first.
“I heard from the 24th floor someone shouting, ‘stop, stop, stop,’ and when I looked down on the road I saw the young woman running like crazy and the poor police officer trying to run after her,” Delon said.
Delon, 46, took out her cellphone and recorded the foot chase.
“The young woman went in the middle of the traffic and the cars stopped,” Delon said. “She entered a cab and in front of the cab you see the police officer.”
The deputy told the taxi driver to stop and lock the doors to keep Salazar inside, but he got scared, unlocked the doors and Salazar got out and ran, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Gina Carter said.
The video showed Salazar being caught a few dozen yards away.
“The girl stopped by herself,” Delon said. “She seemed to be exhausted, could not breathe anymore.”
Salazar was treated at Broward Health Medical Center for asthma and the deputy was treated for cuts and scrapes suffered in a fall during the chase.
Hurley set bond at $1,250 for charges relating to the chase but he revoked bond on prior charges that included domestic violence and possession of PVP, a synthetic hallucinogenic drug known by its street name of flakka.
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