BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — 47-year-old Nickolaos Henke of Merritt Island has been arrested after he ran from a traffic stop and, during the foot chase with deputies, fired a handgun, according to the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office.
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According to a news release, the pursuit began around 9:15 a.m. on Saturday when deputies responded to a call for a suspicious truck near State Road 528 and North Banana River Drive in Merritt Island.
Deputies said they arrived on the scene and started to look over the truck, which was unoccupied. While the deputies returned to their patrol vehicle to look up the license plate information, Hanke got into the car and started to drive away.
The deputies said they did a traffic stop and asked Henke for his identification, and he provided a false name.
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According to the release, while deputies were investigating the false name, Henke ran away and jumped into the Banana River to escape the deputies.
Deputies said after Henke swam a short distance, he returned to the shore and ran into the woods where he had a tent.
Deputies said they continued to chase Henke and told him to stop, and they heard Henke callback, “I have a gun,” and then heard a gunshot.
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Henke then ran out of the woods towards State Road 528 and was arrested, deputies said.
During the arrest, two deputies received minor injuries, and they both have been treated and were released from a local hospital.
According to the release, it was later learned that Henke provided a false name because there was an active warrant for his arrest for a Failure to Appear for Driving Under the Influence.
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Henke is being charged with aggravated assault against law enforcement with a firearm, driving while license suspended with knowledge, resisting arrest without violence, improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon, and providing a false name.
The sheriff’s office said Henke is being held at the Brevard County Detention Center on a $32,000 bond.
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