A Durham police officer is facing criminal charges in Florida after police say he crashed his car on Marco Island, shoved a responding officer, and later grabbed and shoved a corrections deputy while being processed at the jail. Michael Bonfiglio, 42, was charged with two counts of battery and one count of resisting an officer, and he remained in custody as of Friday.
Crash Near Cape Marco Drive Sparks Confrontation
According to WRAL, Bonfiglio is identified as a Durham police officer, and he faces the Florida charges following a car crash and alleged assaults. The crash happened near Cape Marco Drive and South Collier Boulevard on a Wednesday night, according to winknews.com, which identified him as a 42-year-old North Carolina man. Marco Island is located near Naples, on Florida’s Gulf Coast.
Marco Island police officers responded to the single-vehicle crash at around 10:48 p.m., per the station’s report. Officers said the car veered off the road and struck multiple trees and a wall.
Officer and Jail Deputy Both Allegedly Shoved
Police say that while officers were helping Bonfiglio after the crash, he shoved a responding officer, though the officer was not hurt, per the same account. The confrontation didn’t end at the crash scene. A Collier County corrections deputy’s report says Bonfiglio grabbed and shoved a corrections deputy while he was being processed at the jail, according to the outlet’s report.
Bonfiglio was arrested on two counts of battery and one count of resisting an officer before the alleged jail incident, the article notes. As of Friday, Bonfiglio remained in custody, according to the same source.
Durham Police Say They're Still Gathering Answers
WRAL asked the Durham Police Department whether it was aware of the incident, what Bonfiglio’s current employment status is, and what his role within the department has been. Durham police said they are aware of the incident and are working on answers to those questions, but the department has not disclosed Bonfiglio’s current employment status.
Whether Bonfiglio remains an active Durham officer is unresolved pending that response. Under North Carolina Department of Justice guidance, the state’s Standards Division must be notified of criminal offenses for which an officer is arrested or charged, with exceptions for minor traffic offenses. Separate North Carolina Department of Justice materials note that the state’s Criminal Justice and Sheriffs’ Standards Commissions can suspend or revoke an officer’s certification after a finding that the officer committed or was convicted of a criminal offense. It is not established whether any such review has been opened in Bonfiglio’s case.
