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Seminole County, FL – The Orlando police officer argued with a Seminole County sheriff’s deputy and fled a traffic stop after the deputy pulled him over for blowing past him at nearly twice the speed limit has been formally charged.
The 18th Circuit State’s Attorney’s Office filed documents July 5 charging Orlando Police Officer Alexander Shaouni with misdemeanor resisting an officer without violence and felony fleeing from law enforcement, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
Officer Shaouni was placed on pretrial release from custody on an $8,500 bond and has pleaded not guilty.
His attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to NBC News.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) said Officer Shaouni was driving to work in his marked patrol vehicle at approximately 12:15 p.m. on June 6 when a deputy clocked him traveling 80 miles per hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone, WFLA reported.
The deputy said Officer Shaouni blew by him so quickly, he had to accelerate to more than 90 miles per hour just to catch back up with him, according to the news outlet.
The deputy attempted to stop the officer multiple times, but he refused and flashed his patrol car lights at him, dashcam footage showed.
The deputy was able to pull up alongside him at one point and yelled at him through the window, WFLA reported.
“You gonna pull over?” the frustrated deputy asked. “Pull over!”
The deputy pulled in front of the officer’s patrol vehicle and approached him as Officer Shaouni jumped out of his SUV and aggressively asked the deputy what he wanted, bodycam footage showed.
“I am going in to work, my man,” Officer Shaouni informed him. “Why are you trying to pull me over as I’m going to work?”
“Because you’re going 80 in a 45!” the exasperated deputy said.
Officer Shaouni continued to argue that he was on his way to work.
“What does it look like I am dressed for?” he asked the deputy repeatedly.
The deputy then asked the officer for his driver’s license.
“No,” Officer Shaouni retorted.
The entitled officer immediately turned away from the deputy, got back into his patrol SUV, and sped off, bodycam footage showed.
The deputy alerted over the radio that an Orlando police officer was fleeing a traffic stop and read off the vehicle’s license plate.
Deputies quickly identified Officer Shaouni using his badge number and patrol car number, WFLA reported.
He has been placed on leave while the case is pending.
“The Orlando Police Department was notified by the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, June 9th that OPD Officer Alexander Shaouni was involved in an incident that occurred in Seminole County that resulted in criminal charges,” OPD said in a statement to WESH. “Officer Shaouni has been relieved of duty pending the Seminole County Sheriff’s criminal investigation and OPD’s Internal Affairs investigation.”