An updated version of this story is available: NEW DETAILS: Boca Raton Man Accused of Grabbing Deputy’s Gun During DUI Arrest
BOCA RATON, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2025) — A Boca Raton man is being held at the Palm Beach County Main Detention Center following a late-night arrest that resulted in a mix of misdemeanor and felony charges, court records show.
Matthew Wade Pierce, 57, was booked shortly after midnight Monday following an arrest by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. Jail records list his address on Via Regina in Boca Raton. He remains in custody with no release date posted as of Monday afternoon.
Pierce is facing five charges tied to the incident. According to booking information, those include DUI with property damage, refusal to submit to DUI testing, refusing to accept and sign a citation, unlawful taking of a law enforcement officer’s firearm while the officer was engaged in duty, and resisting an officer with violence.
The DUI charge is listed as a misdemeanor and alleges damage to property or a person other than Pierce. The refusal to submit to testing and refusal to sign a citation are also misdemeanor offenses. The firearm charge and resisting an officer with violence are both felonies under Florida law.
Bond was set during Pierce’s first appearance in county court Monday morning. The court ordered $1,000 bond on the DUI charge, $250 bond on each of the two misdemeanor refusal-related charges, and $10,000 bond on each of the two felony counts. In total, Pierce’s bond was set at $21,500.
As part of the bond conditions, the court ordered Pierce to abstain from alcohol, illegal drugs, and non-prescription drugs. He is also required to submit to random testing and report for testing once per week. Court records indicate that testing notices must be provided with at least six hours’ notice and delivered in the morning.
During the first appearance hearing, the judge found probable cause for the charges and noted that Pierce was present and in custody. Court documents show he was initially found not indigent, though later filings list him as having applied for a public defender, with a $50 public defender application fee due by Jan. 5, 2026.
The case is assigned to the felony division of the 15th Judicial Circuit. A 30-day return hearing is scheduled for Jan. 27, 2026, at the Gun Club Road courthouse in West Palm Beach. An initial case conference is set for Feb. 26, 2026, at the main courthouse on North Dixie Highway.
Details about the events leading up to the arrest have not yet been released. The arrest affidavit had not been filed publicly as of Monday, and no narrative describing the alleged DUI crash, resistance, or firearm-related charge was available in the court docket.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is listed as the arresting agency. No injuries were noted in the booking summary, and court records do not yet indicate whether a vehicle was towed or if additional citations were issued beyond those already filed.
This case remains active, and additional information is expected once the probable cause affidavit is released.
As this investigation develops, additional police activity updates are tracked on Boca Post’s police activity page.
