BOCA RATON, FL — The chase began on a Boca Raton sidewalk and ended in the parking lot behind a Lutheran school on West Palmetto Park Road, according to a Boca Raton Police probable cause affidavit.
Saleh Adel Bazzi, 23, of Coral Springs, is charged with a third-degree felony count of fleeing or attempting to elude and three misdemeanor counts stemming from a July 2 traffic stop, according to Palm Beach County court records and a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office booking record. The misdemeanor charges are trespass on school grounds, operating a motorcycle without a valid driver license, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle, records show.
Boca Raton Police Officer Gustavo Mena wrote in the affidavit that he was stopped at the intersection of West Palmetto Park Road and NW 4th Avenue at about 7:38 p.m. when he saw a rider on a black E-Ride Pro electric motorcycle on the northbound sidewalk. The bike had no license plate, according to the affidavit.
Mena wrote that he watched the rider leave the sidewalk, cross a solid double yellow line, and ride southbound in the roadway without eye protection before getting back on the sidewalk and continuing westbound along Palmetto Park Road. The officer, who was riding with Officer Casas in a marked cruiser, completed a U-turn and caught up to the rider, according to the affidavit.
When they closed in, Mena activated his emergency lights and sirens, the affidavit states. Officer Casas, in a Boca Raton Police uniform with a ballistic vest reading "Police" and "Boca Raton" on the back, exited the vehicle and walked toward the rider while giving verbal commands to stop, according to the affidavit. The rider looked at Casas, briefly hesitated, and accelerated past him, Mena wrote.
The rider continued westbound on West Palmetto Park Road before turning right into the property at 701 West Palmetto Park Road, which the affidavit identifies as St. Paul Lutheran School. Mena wrote that the rider went through the grass to reach the parking lot, then rode northbound toward the rear of the building.
Boca Raton Police Officer Reis, who was parked in front of the school, went to the back and located the rider, according to the affidavit. Officers Reis and Mena detained him at that location.
Once he was identified as Bazzi, officers determined he did not have a valid motorcycle endorsement and that the electric motorcycle was not registered, according to the affidavit. Mena also wrote that Bazzi did not have any legitimate business, authorization, license, or invitation to be on school property.
Bazzi was in possession of a GoPro camera that was recording at the time of the incident, and the camera was submitted to Boca Raton Police as evidence, according to the affidavit.
Bazzi was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail at 12:03 a.m. on July 3, jail records show. He appeared before a judge later that morning for a first appearance hearing, according to the case docket. The court found probable cause on the charges and appointed the Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office to represent Bazzi, records show. Bond on the felony fleeing count was set at $3,000, reduced from the $5,000 amount listed on the arrest form, and bond on each of the three misdemeanor counts was set at $250, according to the docket. Bazzi was released from jail on July 6 at 2:29 p.m. after posting cash bond, jail records show.
The case is assigned to the Palm Beach County Circuit Court felony division under case number 50-2026-CF-004947-AXXX-MB. A 30-day return hearing is scheduled for Aug. 1 at 10:30 a.m., and an initial case conference is set for Aug. 27 at 8:30 a.m., the docket shows.
The felony fleeing count is filed under Florida Statute 316.1935(1). The misdemeanor counts are filed under Florida Statute 810.097(1) for trespass on school grounds, Florida Statute 322.03(5) for operating a motorcycle without a valid driver license, and Florida Statute 320.02(1) for operating an unregistered motor vehicle.
The charges are allegations. Bazzi is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in court.
Boca Raton Police dashcam and BWC video was provided by the department in response to Boca Post's request.
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