By Michael Moore Jr.
The Bradenton Herald
BRADENTON, Fla. — A Bradenton man is facing felony charges after police say he did a burnout in downtown Bradenton and nearly struck officers.
Police said the driver, 28-year-old Juan Leon, sped down Old Main Street around 2 a.m. Sunday , forcing officers and nearby pedestrians to scatter before his arrest. According to police, he later told officers he was trying “to impress girls.”
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An attorney representing Leon did not immediately respond to the Bradenton Herald’s request for comment.
Video released by the department shows what appears to be a silver pickup stopped in a downtown crosswalk before the tires squeal, filling the intersection with smoke. Police said the truck lurched forward as officers nearby moved out of the way and a marked Bradenton Police Department cruiser pulled in behind it.
Police said officers had just responded to a separate call and were standing on the sidewalk when they heard the truck rev its engine. Officers said Leon ran the stop sign at Fourth Avenue and swerved before correcting. Pedestrians were also in the area, including at the corner of Manatee Avenue and 12th Street, according to police.
A patrol officer who witnessed the incident followed Leon, and police said he eventually pulled over and officers detained him.
Police said Leon submitted to field sobriety tests but refused a breathalyzer. He was arrested on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, along with charges of DUI and reckless driving, according to court records.
Police added that additional charges are pending for damage to the decorative crosswalk, which requires special restoration. The cost of repairs was not immediately known, according to police.
According to jail records, Leon was booked into the Manatee County Jail Sunday and released later that day on $15,500 bond. Court records show his arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 31 before Circuit Judge Frederick Mercurio at the Manatee County Judicial Center.
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