Car Chase Ended By 'Stop Sticks,' K9

A man charged at a deputy with his car, then led deputies on a chase through Bradenton before he was apprehended Tuesday night, authorities report.

The man was spotted driving east on Cortez Road "at a high rate of speed" shortly after 11:30 p.m., according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

He then turned south onto Fifth Street West and into the parking lot of Muscle Works Gym as a deputy followed him. The man turned around to exit, then went back into the parking lot and drove around. "He then made a deliberate, aggressive charge" directly at the deputy, who had to make an evasive maneuver to avoid being struck, according to a sheriff's report.

The driver then exited the lot, headed west onto Cortez Road, then north onto 14th Street West.

Another deputy spotted the man at the intersection of 30th Avenue and Ninth Street West and began a chase after the driver failed to stop.

"Speeds never exceeded 90 mph" in the seven-minute pursuit, the sheriff's office said, which ended when "stop sticks" were used to deflate three of the man's tires. His car came to rest against a stop sign in the 6800 block of 14th Street West. 

A K9 stopped the man's attempt to flee on foot, authorities said.

The man, identified as Steven M. Rosenwinkel, 44, who is homeless, was taken to Lakewood Ranch Medical Center for treatment of a minor injury and dog bites. No deputies were injured.

Rosenwinkel is charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, fleeing to elude, leaving the scene of a crash and driving while license suspended or revoked.

Rosenwinkel has a lengthy history of arrests and was registered as a career offender in 2011, online records show. He was being held at Manatee County Jail on $9,120 bond.