North Fort Myers man charged with injuring deputy in attempt to flee with stolen car, cocaine

A traffic stop turned ugly Tuesday night in North Fort Myers when a man struck a deputy with his vehicle while attempting to get away with a stolen vehicle and cocaine, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Just before 10 p.m. Tuesday, a manager at the Days Inn motel on Hancock Bridge Parkway and U.S. 41 called police to report a suspicious car in the hotel’s parking lot with a male driver and female passenger.

When Lee County sheriff’s deputies approached the area, they spotted the vehicle and followed it while running license plate information on the gold Toyota Camry. It was determined to be stolen. The car then pulled into a Perkins parking lot at 13620 U.S. 41 N.

According to reports, when deputies attempted to stop the driver in the parking lot, he drove toward them, forcing one deputy back into his vehicle. The driver then struck another deputy’s vehicle while the deputy was inside, causing minor injuries.

The injured deputy, Travis Daniels, was treated and released from Lee Memorial Hospital.

The Camry then sped off again, according to reports, traveling west on Pondella Road. After a short chase, deputies stopped following the car, but a short while later they saw two men who matched the suspects’ descriptions talking on Breeze Drive.

After talking to the men, deputies arrested Melvin E. Williams, 25, of 3012 Apache St., North Fort Myers. He was charged with aggravated battery on an officer, aggravated assault on an officer, vehicle theft, possession of cocaine and resisting arrest. The passenger was not arrested.

The Camry was later found abandoned on Suncoast Drive.

Williams’ bond has been denied.